The Importance of Safe Driving

Forty-thousand. Roughly forty-thousand families each year have an empty seat at the kitchen table. Forty-thousand people, kids, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters no longer get to go home to see their loved ones. The importance of driver safety within our population can not be undermined. When teaching the modern generation to drive, the number forty thousand should be taught. It should be taught to be a reminder that one person’s ignorance or mistake while driving can cost a family, a community, and a society. That is why we need to take the measures necessary to make sure our newest generation of drivers, and our experienced drivers, have the safety measures and laws to get the number forty thousand, down to zero.

Driver education teaches new drivers on our roads the importance of not only following the law but also keeping yourself and others on the roadway safe. Taking the time, to learn the laws, rules, and regulations of being a safe driver can lead one in the right direction towards driver safety. And the consequences of not learning these simple laws, rules, and regulations are seen within the number, forty-thousand. Within these driver education classes, teaching students the habit of wearing your seatbelt and proper speed control, can be the two most important lessons. Secondly, learning defensive driving tactics can help drivers anticipate or avoid these situations from occurring completely. In the state of Virginia, the state where I reside, we have some of the highest numbers of distracted driving in the country. A simple counter to these repetitive problems is once again the proper education before drivers can even begin operating a motor vehicle. Beginning the education of driver safety to students in high school is the best way to deter some of these constant problems such as seatbelts, speed limit, or distracted driving violations that seem to be so prevalent within our society.

Another way to combat these important problems on our roadway is the strengthening of law enforcement on our roads and public awareness of these issues. Stricter laws on seatbelts, speed limit, or distracted driving violations will in turn lead to more police interactions at first but lead to a decline in the breaking of the law. Public programs on our roadways such as “Click It or Ticket” or “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” also highlight the importance of following the law and the consequences that a driver can face if not following the law (citations, accidents, and death). These steps will once again educate drivers on roadway safety and hold them accountable when not following the law that saves the lives of thousands of Americans.

Speaking from experience, I have never been involved in a traffic accident within my two years of driving. But with this absence of accidents, I am aware of the importance of being a safe driver and the importance of informing others to be safe drivers as well. One experience that I do have is that I witnessed a significant car accident at a young age. When I was young, in elementary school, I was in the vehicle with my father when I witnessed a woman texting and driving rear-end another vehicle at an intersection which at a high rate of speed, caused the rear-ended car to shift forward hitting another vehicle. Though this memory is from long ago, I have always remembered the experience very vividly. I believe I remember this so well because I was able to see that one woman’s mistake caused harm to two others. A simple mistake that could have been prevented.

For me, especially by getting raised by a police officer, I have always been committed to defensive driving, staying alert behind the wheel, and respecting the rules, laws, and regulations of the roadway. When driving my phone always stays away in the center console until I have arrived at my destination. I also take measures to make sure that my vehicle is in proper maintenance and working order. Despite what many may think, many accidents involving vehicle malfunction can be prevented by doing regular maintenance and checks on your vehicle. And I always remind others to follow these same rules. Beginning in middle school I was involved in the Youth Of Virginia Speak Out About Driver Safety Club or YOVASO, to help get this same message across to my community, family, and friends. I can, and others too, always work harder to ensure the safety of our communities. Because having such a high number of traffic accident deaths, forty thousand, is something that our society should be putting in as much effort to resolve.