Making Driving Safer

For many people throughout the world, automobiles are the most common and optimal means of transportation. Many see it as a quick, comfortable, and convenient means of getting around. Though driving is very popular and provides convenience, it is also known for the risks associated with it. Car accidents can be a terrifying situation to be in and a devastating situation to deal with. Although we’ve been able to greatly reduce the deadliness of car accidents over time, they still happen fairly frequently and can still be very deadly. An estimated 42,795 people died in a motor vehicle accident in the United States in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. This number only takes into account fatal car accidents; there were likely significantly more non-fatal car accidents than fatal ones. With all of this in mind, it should come as no surprise that many people and organizations highly prioritize and encourage road safety. But how can we do this? The easiest place to start is the same place many first learn how to drive: driver education.

One way for drivers to reduce their chances of getting into an accident is to take a driver education course. Learning how to be safe on the roads and what to look out for can greatly help in improving a driver’s safety. Some may question the usefulness of such a course, but several studies prove the usefulness of driver education. A study assessing both U.S. and Canadian teen drivers revealed that driver education was associated with not only a reduction in crashes by 4.3% but also a reduction in convictions by nearly 40%. Additionally, teens who had completed driver education notably scored higher on their diving exam than those who did not. Another study, this time performed by Researchers Duane Shell and Ian Newman of the Nebraska Prevention Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, used compiled driving records from over 150,000 Nebraska teens and young adults who had gotten their provisional operators permit at some point between 2003 and 2010. The results revealed the following: 11.1% and 12.9% of drivers who had and hadn’t taken driver education respectively were involved in car crashes, 2.1% and 2.6% were involved in an accident that led to injury or death, and 10.4% and 18.3% were ticketed for moving traffic violations. These studies support the theory that driver education correlates with fewer accidents and, in turn, deaths. As such, driver education is important in reducing the number of deaths caused by driving.

Driver education is very helpful, but it’s worth noting that it’s not perfect. In their study on the effect that driver education has on those who take it, PubMed found that there was no correlation between driver education and a reduced number of crashes. They did, however, speculate that this could be due to insufficient teaching material and that improving what’s taught could result in improved road safety. In addition, the AAA Foundation noted that improving the material taught in driver education courses could further reduce the number of crashes at the end of their study previously mentioned. Going off of these two conclusions as well as the studies previously discussed, it’s very likely that improving the material taught in driver education would result in fewer accidents and, in turn, fewer deaths.

Beyond driver education, not driving while your necessary brain functions (such as perception, attention, coordination, thinking, etc.) are impaired, such as while under the influence or while tired, as well as reducing the number of distractions in your car can reduce the chances of getting into an accident, fatal or otherwise. Driving requires attentiveness, quick reaction times, and smart thinking, and driving while any of those are impaired can greatly increase the risk of an accident.

In terms of myself, insufficient sleep is my biggest issue while driving. I’m typically very alert while driving and follow many of the encouraged safety practices, but it’s much harder to be or do much when I’m tired. Making sure I get enough sleep before getting on the road would solve this issue. To help others on the road, I avoid distracting them and will typically do things like read text messages for them or get something from the backseat to help them stay focused on the road. While these actions are small, they have a major impact on their safety.

Thankfully, I have never been in a car accident, nor do any of my friends or family members drive irresponsibly. That said, an acquaintance from high school once got pulled over for speeding well above the speed limit on the interstate with his younger brother in the car with him. He wasn’t ashamed of it, going as far as bragging about it, and ultimately got away with it simply because the officer who pulled him over didn’t show up to his court trial. I remember my friends and I found the situation and his attitude towards it very frustrating. While that acquaintance came out of the situation with minimal issues, many don’t. It’s important to practice road safety since reckless driving often ends in significant harm to all parties involved.

Ultimately, the biggest takeaway from this essay is to remember just how important road safety is. From something as simple as your seatbelt to something as in-depth as driver education, taking the time to observe and practice safe driving will always benefit you in the long run.