All lives matter on the road.

Every day from the moment you get in your car, your life is at risk. You just do not realize it because driving has become an automatic task people generally do without thought. Each stop light, lane change, or parking lot is a hazard. Why is that? Why has driving become such a dangerous everyday necessity? How can we change it? These are some questions we will dive into and hopefully find a solution to make sure people everywhere get home safe when they put their foot to the gas.

Why has driving become so hazardous? Why from the click of the seat belt or turn of the key has our roads become a danger zone? On several occasions I have been the recipient of an “almost accident”. I say almost because a driver who was unaware of their surroundings has come into my lane and caused me to make sudden maneuver’s to avoid the accident. Had those drivers mad sure the lane was clear before they merged, it would not have given me a panic attack and some not so nice choice words. However, as it is the responsibility of other drivers to be aware of their surroundings, so should you as you are also behind the wheel of a car. Be on alert for drivers who think all roads are for racing, people who believe they are the only ones that matter, the ones on their phones, or worse drunk drivers. The scenarios for a potential catastrophic accident are endless. Unfortunately, as I have had near misses others I know have not been so lucky. My mother in law had several collisions a month apart causing irreparable damage to her back. With each incident came more harm physically and mentally. Sleepless nights from the pain or anxiety each time she got behind the wheel of her car. Had the other drivers been following road laws and being safe could these accidents have been avoided and life altering injuries not occurred. These are just several personal examples. Every morning on the news at least one story is about a traffic fatality due to impairment in my town. Whether that be drugs or alcohol is of no mind. Driving under the influence is in my opinion the most selfish and easily avoidable in our day. Driving while impaired limits the capacity in which you can safely operate your car.

Now don’t get me wrong. Those who drive have a responsibility to themselves and others on the road to be safe, but what of pedestrians and the roads themselves? Shouldn’t they share some of those same responsibilities? Yes! As a matter of fact they should. Cities all over America have committees in charge of maintaining our roads, signs, guardrails and everything that is within those boundaries. If signs are not secure, they could fall onto the road blocking traffic, if guardrails are not intact how can they stop a car coming at other motorists and if roads have pot holes or bumpy uneven gravel, this can cause a flat tire. Which as most people have experienced can cause the vehicle to swerve, becoming a hazard itself. The roadways in which we use these death demons can become a factor if our local, state and federal government do not do their part in making sure they are safe to use. How do they keep them safe to use? By hiring companies to maintain them. What if these companies only add to the hazards of our streets? What then? Here in the great state of Nevada we have replaced our state flower the sage brush with a new state flower, traffic cones. A local joke these days. Over the past five years it seems more and more traffic cones appear, changing the roads making pedestrians and drivers have to alter their commute. Sometimes the change can be confusing and unclear. My sister was driving through a construction zone one day where the cones were not put in place appropriately causing her to crash her car into a huge hole. The employees responsible for putting the traffic cones in place saw their mistake and before police arrived, moved the cones to make it seem like they did their job. I know what you’re thinking, and yes we had a dash cam and yes we showed it to police. Good thing we did too! Boy sure saved my sister a massive headache. Pedestrians who take risks by crossing streets outside of crosswalks put their lives in harm’s way. That 5 seconds they saved by jaywalking could have resulted in an accident with much dire consequences.

Each of these issues has a major impact on those involved. How can we make lasting changes so future generations can be safer? I have always been taught that change begins with me. I have to make a conscious effort when I get behind the wheel to make sure I am following the laws, being alert and doing my part to keep others safe. If I am preoccupied and not focused on the road I cannot guarantee my destination will be met nor of the drivers out there with me. If I do not express my opinions to my leaders in charge about my experiences and actively try to make positive changes for others, how can I expect others to care or change? Speaking to local leadership responsible is one of many things that can be done. Local level isn’t cutting it? Then go to your state legislature. Write emails, letters, cards anything you feel will help get your voice heard. Vote for the officials in charge if that’s possible. Using your voice is the best tool you have for change. Requiring drivers to re-test every five years after a certain age would be another great solution. Science has proven that as we age our reflexes and response times slow down making it harder to react. Making drivers education classes mandatory to re-instate a license that has been revoked or suspended for road violations. If there are no consequences tough enough to deter people from making poor choices behind the wheel, then why should drivers feel the need to make the necessary changes to combat the issues at hand? Here in Nevada the consequences for driving under the influence are so ridiculously easy that the number of arrests in 2024 for DUI’s has increased by 5 percent compared to the prior year. Accidents resulting in deaths in Las Vegas alone were 48 last year and 53 the year prior. First offenses here get fines and license suspensions. Our prisons are so overcrowded that jail time is not usually the route. You literally have to kill someone before you are met with severe punishment. Why do people have to die in order for people to put policies into place for next time? As Mahatma Gandhi once said “Be the change you wish to see in the world”.

Most accidents could be prevented if someone made a different choice. Kept their phone in a pocket, checked their mirrors before changing lanes, calling a cab, walking in crosswalks, companies making sure their construction job is safe for motorists. The list is endless. We can blame others for the failures of course as is the norm in today’s society. We can even sit back and do nothing while the results remain the same, or be a little more proactive each time we get up to drive. The choice is ours.