A Drive to Drive Safe

Driving is a privilege, but it comes with a huge responsibility. The roads, just the way they help travel from one place to another, are equally dangerous, as evidenced by the tragic number of fatalities every year due to car accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports around 38,000 people die in car crashes every year in the United States alone. Driver education will help bring down these numbers by equipping individuals with knowledge, skills, and a mindset that promotes safety decisions while operating a vehicle. Driving myself has taught me how very important it is to internalize the value of responsible driving practices and be safe, not just for my own sake but for everyone else using the highway.

One critical experience, I was driving with Mom in the car. I was behind the wheel, and we were in a rush to get to my tennis match. The match was at 6:30 the time read out 6:20 on the car clock. I remember the feeling of adrenaline wanting to take me there faster, and at that point, I made a dangerous decision: I sped well over the limit. Although the road was clear, the risk of speeding was still there. As I gained speed, we approached an intersection, and from the other direction, a car suddenly appeared; it was almost an accident. My heart was racing as I veered to avoid the vehicle, narrowly avoiding what could have been a life-altering accident. In that moment, I realized how quickly life can change and how paramount it is to consider safety rather than speed.

This experience has framed my understanding of the role drivers ed has to play in traffic death prevention. On its list of leading causes of fatal crashes, NHTSA points out that speeding contributed to about 25% of all traffic deaths. Driving courses go far beyond teaching students the minimum to safely operate a vehicle; rather, their purpose is driving well, which means staying within the speed limit, buckling up, avoiding distractions, and being aware of what surrounds them. If drivers make safe choices, they can greatly reduce their risk of crashing.

The destructive behaviors that are in addition to speeding include driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving in a distracted manner, and failing to yield to pedestrians or other vehicles. These aspects take away a great number of lives annually. Education on these topics can save lives. Driver education should also be equipped with information on the impact of alcohol and drugs on a driver’s ability to operate an automobile safely and strategies for removing distractions such as texting or using a cell phone while driving. An all-encompassing driver education program would cover defensive driving techniques how to anticipate and react to other drivers’ actions and how to maintain a distance from other vehicles in traffic to keep you from reaching danger.

Besides driver education, much can be done to minimize fatalities resulting from road traffic. All governments, schools, and communities can promote road safety by taking actions that reduce traffic fatalities. Among the important measures, there is a need for stricter traffic laws and regulations. For example, GDL systems restrict licensure by phasing in driving privileges for novice drivers as they accumulate experience. These have typically been the “three-stage” programs of GDL-involving restrictions on nighttime driving, passengers, and hours of required driving under supervision.

The other big strides that are being made today is that many technologies in use in the vehicle can help make the vehicles safer. Car safety features nowadays include a wide range of advanced driver assistance systems or ADAS. Among them are automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and blind-spot monitoring. These technologies can function to prevent accidents by either alerting the driver to a potential problem or taking action to correct a situation if time runs out for the human behind the steering wheel. It is by promoting the use of these technologies and doing further research and development of autonomous cars that traffic-related deaths are likely to decrease tremendously.

Externally, each driver should take personal responsibility for both his safety and the safety of others. In my case, to become a better and safer driver, I have pursued several measures to improve my habits on the road. First, I always follow the posted speed limit, adjusting my speed according to the weather conditions and the flow of traffic. By trial and error, I learned that no destination is worth putting lives at risk, including my own. Second, I try as much as possible to avoid distractions while driving. Whether it is turning my phone completely off or refusing to engage in any conversation that may cause a division of attention, I fully realize even the briefest momentary lapse can have catastrophic consequences. I also make sure that I wear my seatbelt and ensure my passengers do likewise. Wearing a seatbelt is one of the best methods to soften the injury in an accident, and this should never be forgotten.

Secondly, I promised myself to be a safer driver by staying informed. I make it a point to gather information on road safety and will not be reluctant to take up any defensive driving courses to help me fine-tune my driving skills. Driving is not something taught once; it is a lifetime process of learning and self-improvement. I try to share that with family and friends, encouraging them in turn. I remind them of the risks involved in practices such as texting while driving or speeding.

The need is to come together as a society with personal responsibility and policies and programs calling for safety to be of utmost concern on our roads. Additionally, schools should emphasize driver education, parents should set examples by being safe drivers, and governments continue to implement policies that will offer protection to the most vulnerable road users: pedestrians and cyclists. All we need to do is ensure that everybody looks out for each other so that we can have a safety culture on the roads and reduce the number of lives lost every year.

First and foremost, driver education cannot be stressed enough. It lays the foundation for safe behaviors behind the wheel, reduces the chances of an accident occurring, and in the grand scheme of things, saves lives. This particular experience with speeding, and nearly causing an accident myself, deeply influenced my commitment toward becoming a safer, more responsible driver. Ultimately, it would require improved education, personal accountability, and advocacy toward safer driving practices to reduce traffic fatalities.