Driver’s Seat: The Importance of Safe Driving

One of the most risky daily activities that we are engaged in is driving, and yet few have any idea of the type of responsibility they are assuming. With each journey in the driver’s seat, we are held hostage to our existence and the existence of other people. The numbers are staggering: 34,000 people die each year in car accidents in America, a number greater than combined American deaths in both Iraq and Afghanistan. A statistic like this reminds us that drivers’ education is not a ritual but a matter of life and death.

Being a high school senior in Raleigh, North Carolina, I see every day how driving is a rite of passage for teenagers. The excitement of obtaining a license blinds people to the responsibility one takes with it. A well-organized driver training program will reduce accidents and fatalities on the highway significantly, especially for new drivers like me and my friends. We are highly likely to end up in an accident since we are inexperienced and unaware of what dangers the highway may pose to us. A quality driver education program can do more than teach the rules of the road; it can teach good habits, reinforce defensive driving techniques, and make students aware of the ghastly consequences of irresponsible driving.

One of the most valuable things that driver education can offer is the instruction of situation awareness. Most of the accidents happen merely because the drivers are distracted, sleepy, or not focused on what is going on around them. With a focus on being awake, keeping eyes on the road, and expecting other drivers’ behavior, education can effectively be utilized to avoid many deadly accidents. Education can also handle driver risks regarding driving drunk, drugged, or sleepy. Warning people of such risks at an early stage creates lifelong habits that lead to safer roads.

Education is required, but so is legislation and enforcement in preventing reckless driving. As more states legalize hands-free cellphone use, more enforcement to support compliance is also necessary. Safety also hinges, to a large extent, on technological progress. New cars have safety features such as automatic braking, lane drifting notifications, and collision notices. Encouraging the use of these devices, particularly among dangerous drivers such as teenagers, can quite literally be a matter of life and death. Better roads, signs, and intersections also can have a big impact on reducing crashes. State-wide initiatives like “Click It or Ticket” and no-texting campaigns have been proven to change driver behavior, and making these campaigns larger by expanding them would also decrease preventable crashes.

Having grown up my whole life in Raleigh, I’ve had my fair share of terrible and terrible drivers. One of the most insightful experiences I’ve ever had was when one of my friends was t-boned by an impaired driver and had to spend 3 nights in the hospital. It was an eye-opener for all of our friends. Having to witness him deal with the aftermath, recovery, insurance, getting a new car, and the mental challenge of driving again—made me realize how fast something bad can turn your life around.

Another experience that impressed upon my mind was when I was in my junior year. I was driving home with a friend from a concert and there was a drowsy driver in front of us. They were swerving all across the road and eventually wrecked into a ditch on the side of the road, beaching themselves. Me and my friend stopped and had to wait with them until emergency services arrived, and they explained how they were sleepy, and didn’t know what was happening until they had gotten themself into the ditch. This underlined the importance of not driving while impaired/drowsy and staying safe as a driver.

I have also seen friends taking unnecessary risks when driving, such as driving when they are sleepy. A good instance that readily comes to mind is when one of my friends also refused to pass the car to someone else to drive later in the evening when he had already been up for some 30-odd hours. This did not feel right to me, so I insisted on driving. He initially dismissed it, but finally persuaded after some convincing, he passed the vehicle over. A ghastly crash could have been prevented by that single decision. It showed me that standing up for oneself has serious consequences, although it feels uncomfortable. In my driving, I do everything I can to always remain awake, never become distracted, and make sure that if I am driving my friends, they are safe in my vehicle. I realize that one mistake—one lapse in attention—can undo all of it. That has made me change the way I drive daily.

It is not merely to follow the law to be a good driver; it is to try to improve day by day. I ensure that I keep my phone away, maintain a low volume of music, and focus only on driving when I drive. I am always on the lookout for potential hazards, maintain distance, and watch out for what others are doing so that accidents do not occur. If I am a passenger and the driver is involved in something unsafe, I suggest that they stop. Making the people around me, the ones I care about, accountable for their driving behavior creates a safety culture. Even though I have a license, I realize that there is always something I can learn. I keep up with new traffic legislation, road safety research, and optimum practices to keep myself updated as a driver in the quest to keep improving.

Driving is a privilege with gargantuan responsibility. The number of lives lost yearly due to irresponsible driving is a bitter taste to swallow and serves as a reminder that safety should always be paramount. With more stringent driving lessons, stricter laws, technological innovation, and individual responsibility, we can reduce road fatalities by a vast majority. My personal experience has served as a reminder of the need to be a defensive driver, and I will keep on educating other drivers about the culture of safe driving. In doing so, we can ensure that fewer families would experience the pain of losing a loved one to a preventable accident. Either way, each time we drive, we owe it to ourselves to make choices that would save lives.