Steps to decrease deaths by vehicle

There are plenty of steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. One of those steps would be guaranteeing drivers’ education for all students that are physically able to complete the course. This is important because there are some households that do not own vehicles. Therefore, some students are not able to learn about drivers’ education on their own. It would be very resourceful. With drivers’ education being available to all students, this would cut down on car accidents from our youth. The next step that can be taken to reduce deaths related to driving is by not driving under the influence or heavily medicated. Even if you feel like you can drive. It may not be the best decision. You should never drive under the influence of marijuana or alcohol. When under the influence of alcohol or marijuana you may think you are coherent enough to drive but if you get behind the wheel you are not only putting your own life at risk, but everyone else around. Some may think marijuana is a better substitute for alcohol, but it is not. Marijuana delays your reflexes and response times. You may think that having delayed reflexes or delayed response times cannot cause accidents but that is not true. The speed limit could be 65 mph and under the influence of marijuana you may feel as if you are going the speed limit. However, you could be going 30 mph and that is extremely dangerous. Another step that can be taken to reduce the deaths dealing with driving, is to not be on your cell phone, iPad, smart watch, or any other smart device. There should be no distractions while behind the wheel. Texting while driving is super dangerous. It takes your eyes off the road for only a few seconds. It only takes a few seconds to have a life-ending car accident or put someone else’s life in jeopardy. The latest models come with phones that have a setting that can mute your text messages while driving. There are billboards around that let you know no texting and driving. Another step would be to pay attention to the road. I would like to call that a defensive driver. Not only does a defensive driver drive for their own wellbeing, but the wellbeing of others. Paying attention while you are driving also means paying attention to lights and road signs. An important, but underestimated step is not driving while emotional. When you drive while emotional, it is possible you can become erratic. You are also distracted from the road. Imagine crying while driving. You will not be able to see anything through blurry eyes. It is best to drive while you are composed and focused. Having a well-rested mind and body is also a major step. Being deprived of sleep can cause you to fall asleep behind the wheel. Try not to drive for prolonged periods of time without a rest stop. When traveling long distances, if you pay attention to the road signs, there would be a rest area somewhere nearby. Another major step is making sure the maintenance on your vehicles is up to par. One slip of your vehicle maintenance on an interstate could cause a massacre. All of these are important steps needed to reduce deaths related to driving. Lastly, the most crucial step that would reduce deaths related to driving is always wearing your seat belt. This step here is extremely important. If you were to be involved in a car accident, with your seatbelt on there is a high percentage that there would be minor injuries. However, without your seatbelt it is possible you could be ejected from the car. It is also possible that you could hit your head on the dashboard or windshield. Many people may think it is not cool to wear your seatbelt. Some may even say that they are uncomfortable. No matter what the situation is, everyone in the vehicle should have a seat belt on. Children should be in booster seats if necessary. Infants should be in a car seat. The infant’s car seat should be facing the back window. It is important that the infant’s car seat is faced the right way. With the infant car seat placed in the car properly, this would prevent the infant from being ejected from their car seat. I may have missed a few steps, but all these steps are important and should help decrease deaths caused by vehicles.