Confident Driving Tips

Confident Driving Tips

By
Hailey Barrientos- Gonzalez

Driver
education is extremely important in reducing the numbers of deaths as
a result of driving which is stated by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the OSHA, Occupational Safety and
Health Administration. Both gave statistics on how several teenagers
and adults who have the correct driver training are less likely to
crash. With this advanced type of training, people can learn how to
drive defensively and will be able to anticipate the actions of other
drivers since some car crashes are caused by others. Receiving this
training is a big step to reduce crashes and of course deaths however
there are some other small steps that can be taken too especially now
that we live in this era of technology. Several cars now are
manufactured in a way that allows drivers to connect their phone.
This means calls can go through, messaging, and music. All of these
things can be distracting and distracted driving is one of the top
types of driving that causes crashes. People should not connect their
phones so that the driver can receive calls or text back. Instead, it
is wise to put airplane mode on your phone so one does not get
distracted by the “ding” of their phone or seeing their screen
light up because of an incoming message. Another idea is simply
leaving your phone in a place where you can not see it however close
by in case of an emergency. Another step that can be taken is
creating a driving playlist. Several people will be distracting when
trying to find a good song to listen to while driving or when
skipping a song. I believe by creating a driving playlist before
getting on the road, you are less likely to feel the urge to change
the song or find a song you like. These small steps can be extremely
effective especially because one won’t get distracted as easily by
their technology. Several years ago, my aunt got hit by a car. A man
was distracted by his car technology and hit my aunt. It took a huge
toll on our family especially because she was facing several other
health issues. To our surprise she survived the hit however we were
greatly affected by this event and worry about her and anyone else
who is on the road. This has personally affected me as well in the
way that I have not received my driver’s license yet. Many of my
friends were taught by their parents but I feel that to be completely
confident on the road and safe, people should receive proper driving
training. I have been waiting to be properly trained so that when I
get on the road I do not need to fear causing any injuries or deaths.
In addition, I also will follow the steps I had mentioned earlier
because I feel that it is very important to not be distracted while
driving and be focused on the lives of everyone on the road.