The Drivers Seat

“Drivers nationwide, 245 million drivers made a total of 229 billion driving trips, spent 91 billion hours driving, and drove 2.92 trillion miles in 2021”, according to (Tefft, B.C. (2022). American Driving Survey, 2020–2021 (Research Brief). Washington, D.C.: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.). It is essential to have a way of transportation, whether to get to school or get groceries. Unfortunately, automobile accidents are a reoccurring event. So how can we as a country reduce these accidents?

As we know, to get a driver’s license, you must go to Drivers Education. Drivers’ education is a state-certified program designed to inform and teach individuals how to use an automobile responsibly and safely. Over time, individuals were no longer required to attend in-person classes due to an online method called Virtual driver’s education. This method is convenient for those who do not have time and/or who want a more affordable course while still receiving the same material. Many individuals are taking advantage of this option. However, the majority of the individuals who are taking virtual lessons do not retain this information. This is because people post answers to the quizzes, and they skip through the lectures. By not retaining important information, these individuals are more likely to cause an accident by not knowing how to drive correctly. To inform individuals, the programs should eliminate online driver’s education. By implementing in-person classes, individuals will be more engaged within the course and less likely to have an accident. “A study that followed more than 150,000 teen drivers over eight years has found that driver’s education significantly reduced crashes and traffic violations among new drivers. Young drivers who have not completed driver’s education are 75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury, and 16 percent more likely to have an accident”.

There are numerous reasons drivers text and drive: they may feel well-experienced, can multi-task, and /or prioritize other needs. Most drivers think that since they are well experienced in driving, they can maintain a steady wheel. When, in reality, a person’s brain does not have enough cognitive load. Cognitive load is the effort to do reasoning and thinking (impairs driving subtasks). Texting while driving will leave the individual with less cognitive load to focus on driving, resulting in an accident or running a traffic stop. Oftentimes, it is not just texting. It can be as simple as reaching for something on the passenger side. Prioritizing other needs before yourself or others’ safety can lead to a one-way ticket to the hospital or the graveyard. To reduce fatal or injury accidents, people should place their phones on Do Not Disturb or pull aside to a safe area to answer a loved one. By doing so, not only are you keeping yourself and others safe, but you will be thanking yourself for not getting a higher insurance bill.

Being under the influence (substance or alcohol) affects a person’s emotional, mental, and physical state. “The brain compromises a network of neutrons to process and transmit information. Drugs and alcohol can interfere with the way these brain cells function, altering the way they send, receive, and process signals.”

These alters make it difficult for an individual to comprehend direct or subtle cues. Making the individual incapable of walking straight, completing a full sentence, and / or seeing clearly. If an individual does not get the proper aftercare when dealing with substance(s), there will be consequences. To avoid this domino effect, ask yourself some questions: How much did I have, More than 1-2 in less than an hour? Are you high in emotions? Cannot complete a sentence and walking with assistance? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, it is best to call for a ride or stay at the hostess’s house. Please do not risk your life or others; it is not worth it.

I have experienced a car crash. I was on my way to refill my gas tank before work. It was a two-way road during rush hour. I was trying to turn left from a median (the median was separating the incoming and ongoing traffic). The inner and outer incoming lanes had given me the go-ahead. Before I had made the turn, the exterior lane car had turned on its hazards to let the car behind him know to yield as I looked to see if the coast was clear. I had been struck by a vehicle on the right side of my car. After moving from incoming traffic, we called the cops to see who was liable; the other driver had confessed that he was trying to reach for an item by the passenger seat. As a result, I have been diagnosed with scoliosis and arthritis.

It is “estimated that 42,795 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents a small decrease of about 0.3% as compared to 42,939 fatalities reported for 2021”. To prevent and ensure the public’s safety, we have to identify the problems and find a solution to save lives. These problems start with being uneducated, distractions, and being under the influence, so get informed and make wise decisions.