Defensive Driving: Arrive Alive

I sincerely believe that driver education is a crucial part of reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving. My experience with driver’s education was my 9^th grade driver’s education course and several hours of hands-on instruction with my driver’s education teacher. He was able to convey a meaningful balance of objective laws and rules to be followed on the road, practical knowledge and tips to enhance safety behind the wheel, and realism to deter us from reckless driving of all kinds. His stark realism and no-nonsense attitude made it clear to me that operating a motor vehicle should not be considered a mundane daily activity to be taken lightly. He not only imbued me with a sense of accountability for my own safety, but more importantly, the safety of all others on the road.

In my opinion, driver safety is an ongoing public health issue. As with any other public health issue, driver education and safety awareness at a young age is important. As previously stated, lessons from my high school course still hold a place of importance in my mind. At this time in my life, it was appalling to hear and witness stories detailing drunken, reckless, and speed-related accidents. The results were always terrible and often proved fatal. Even then, but especially now, I could never grasp that impulsive and selfish spur-of-the-moment decisions could steal lives. Proper education certainly solidified these thoughts in my mind.

Furthermore, I think continued education is important. I think individuals often take for granted that they are operating multi-ton machines that are moving at dangerously high speeds. I often travel on I-376 on my commute to school and have witnessed several instances of dangerous driving behavior, sometimes on a single trip. I always try to remind myself that defensive and safe driving is the most probable way to ensure that I, and all others around me, arrive safely at our destinations. Nothing is worth jeopardizing this.

Sadly, I know all too real the dangers of drunk driving as I lost a friend in a drunk driving accident when I was in 7^th grade. My community lost a wonderful young man with so much to give to the world and it pains me to this day when I think of this senseless tragedy spurred by a momentary awful decision. This could and should have been prevented.

I think there are many steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, but I will include the ones that I personally feel would be most impactful.

1. Increased awareness about the terrible consequences of drunk driving. Drunk driving is a killer, it is that simple. There will always be selfish individuals who will never understand the potential consequences of this senseless behavior, but I must believe that if more people hear stories from loved ones, that the grief would be shared and that there would be some change, and any mitigation of this is worthwhile. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is an organization that I wholeheartedly support in this effort.

2. Driver education for our youth. As previously stated, I believe that the organized and well-delivered driver education course that my high school offered was crucial in developing me into a safety-concerned driver.

3. Re-education – for laws and rules of the road. For the dangers of speeding and reckless driving. A refresher driving course for adults tailored towards continuous safety. As adults, most of us drive every day and have been doing so for many years. Bringing safety to the forefront would go a long way towards reversing the monotonous and sometimes careless attitude towards driving.

4. This goes together with education, but I think deserves a place of its own – the practice of defensive driving. There are several signposts in the practice of defensive driving: maintaining focus, always conveying your intentions to other drivers, maintaining slow speeds and safe distances, and always being aware. Teaching these behaviors will pay off massively for generations of drivers to come.

5. Ride shares – ride share apps are often marketed for their convenience, but I think these platforms serve a much deeper importance and are imperative to reducing deaths on the road. These drivers essentially act as designated drivers, as such, I would guess that elevated use of these applications correlates with fewer drunk-driving accidents. Also, I think that the use of designated drivers in general is key in elevating safety.

6. I think highway patrol officers make a difference. I understand that these officers could not dream of always covering all roads, but I believe that the presence of these officers on high-traffic roads makes a meaningful difference in influencing safe driving behaviors.

When I was in my sophomore year of undergraduate college, I was involved in a no-fault accident in a parking lot. The other individual and I were both backing up and bumped into each other, the back of the individual’s vehicle hit into my passenger-side back wheel quarter-panel. This was yet another reminder to me that spatial awareness is paramount; I often remember this incident to this day when leaving from parked, and always take time to assess my surroundings before leaving. I’ve been in several situations as a passenger where I believe that my driver was driving dangerously. I’ve even asked these individuals to slow down. I will reiterate my belief that nothing is worth jeopardizing arriving safely.

Defensive driving is critical. I never begin a trip without first fastening a seatbelt, this is a simple, but extremely important, lesson that’s stuck with me ever since my first days of hands-on instruction in driver’s education. No trip is too short for a seatbelt. Another simple, but extremely important, lesson that I have carried with me is to always signal upon approach no matter what. I always signal, even if there is no one else around me. I recognize that I do not have 360-degree vision and thus cannot see everything around me; signaling all the time, no matter what takes the guessing out of driving and ensures my fellow drivers are aware of what my intentions are. I also do my best to always maintain focus, this includes mitigating distractions such as my phone.

Furthermore, I never assume that conditions are safe, I try to exercise constant awareness as well as an understanding of potential risks both ahead and behind me. I do not enjoy being “tail-gaited” and as such, I maintain as much distance from vehicles in front of me as possible, including at least 4 car-lengths on multi-lane highways and when possible, on other roads. Aggressive drivers are my biggest concern on the road. I believe that aggressive drivers inherently make themselves known and thus are easy to identify. I do my best to be aware of them and stay out of their path as well as not play into their competitive and reckless nature. I also believe that safe driving can be contagious. I feel that safe and slow driving translates to a more altruistic driving experience for everyone. I’ve often found myself in a group of slow and safe drivers and it’s truly a comforting experience to know that other drivers share a common goal of safety.