The Problem With Drivers Nowadays

Driving accidents can occur because of two reasons. The first reason is that a driver does not know the rules of the road. If a driver does not know the rules of the road they can easily make mistakes with the potential to harm other drivers. The second reason is that people ignore the rules of the road. Whether it’s because they are intoxicated or assume that the law doesn’t apply to them they drive recklessly without thinking about themself or anybody else. Both of these reasons put anybody involved at risk of injury or death. Educating drivers about safe driving can hopefully reduce the number of accidents that are caused by reckless driving by giving them the ability to react appropriately when dangerous situations arise. It would be best to educate them before they have the time to build bad driving habits.

There are four steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. Step one is to educate drivers. Educated drivers are more conscious about their actions when driving and will hopefully drive safer once they understand the rules of the road. The next step is to improve the vehicles themselves. With technology constantly advancing, people should be coming up with new methods to make cars safer to drive. We’ve come up with ideas like cameras for driving in reverse and automatic emergency braking. I am positive that more safety measures could be added besides these. The third step is to add more security. One of the main laws I see constantly being broken is people running red lights. These drivers put everyone at risk. I remember one time when I was walking through a crosswalk, and a car ran the red light almost hitting me. I also see multiple drivers running through red lights outside of my high school, and I don’t doubt at least one person has been hit by a car outside of that school. If there were more cameras at intersections, more people would think twice before driving through a red light. The final step is to enforce the laws more. Not every law needs to have more enforcement, but if people notice that some laws are continuously being ignored (such as running red lights), maybe they need to be enforced more. It does not matter if the punishment is an increased fine or your car being towed, the purpose is to discourage people from continuing to break the law.

Although nobody in my family has driven recklessly I have seen plenty of other people drive recklessly. When I was a kid, I witnessed a driver spin out at an intersection because they were driving at high speeds in the rain. On my way to school last year, I witnessed two drivers get rear-ended because another driver was following too close. On the highway, another driver was tailgating my mother’s car, and on a two-lane highway, a car passed us by driving on the wrong side of the road. I have had my share of witnessing these incidents and the thought of sharing the road with these kinds of drivers makes me feel unsafe.

Some steps I can take to be a safer driver myself are to stay away from alcohol, stay aware of my surroundings, and follow the advice that skilled drivers have given me. Avoiding alcohol prevents the risk of driving under the influence and having an accident. It also allows the ability to think clearly and maintain focus on the road. Being aware of my surroundings allows me to see potential hazards and react appropriately keeping me and others safe from harm. Finally, there’s the following advice from skilled drivers. While I was growing up I was given driving advice from relatives, school teachers, and even the internet. One of the biggest pieces of advice I’ve received is to “drive as though everyone else is drunk.” When I think of drunk drivers, I think about how their movements can be unpredictable. To me, the advice means that you should constantly be on high alert because drivers are unpredictable, intoxicated or not. If something happens like another driver trying to break-check you or a deer walking onto the road, you have to be ready to make a split-second decision at a moment’s notice. Nobody can guarantee that all of the other drivers will be as careful as them. The best we can do is make sure that we are doing everything in our power to make sure we are safe on the road.