Promoting Safety

Chloe Willard

 

Before someone can become a driver, there is at least one course that is required. In the state of Georgia, it is required for drivers to complete an ADAP course. The ADAP stands for the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program. This program teaches teenagers about the negative consequences of alcohol and drugs. At Washington County High School, the high school I am currently attending, it required for every student to take this course as part of their freshman year. Another thing is that if a teenager were to attempt to get their driver’s license at 16, they are required to complete another course called Joshua’s Law. This course gives more information on driving and how important it is to pay attention while you are driving and to know the safety procedures before getting on the road.

Why is this important? While I have not personally been in a car crash, I can see the pain that car crashes can bring others. This is why traveling safely is so important, especially when it is not just your life that is in the car with you. So without these courses, teenagers would not be as educated as they are when they first start to get on the road. Thousands of deaths every year come from drunk driving, distracted driving, or even just because the driver was under educated about their vehicle. This is why these courses are required for teenage drivers.

Recently there was a law passed that prohibits texting and driving. This is another thing that keeps drivers safe when they are driving, as texting and driving is one of the largest causes for car crashes. With this being important, there are other steps to help keep people safe whenever they drive.

A step that can be taken is in car designs. A lot of people try and drive without their seatbelt, or may just forget to put their seatbelt on. While there is a few cars that have design factors that help promote wearing a seatbelt while driving, that only occurs in the front two seats of a car. When a parent is driving, a child could unbuckle without the parent knowing. I believe that there should be placeholders to make sure that a child can not do this, especially without the parent knowing. You know how the car can ding whenever someone in the driver or passenger seat is not buckled in? There should be the same thing that lets the driver know that the people in the back seat are not buckled up.

With the right education and with all the correct steps being taken while driving, anyone can become a safe driver. All it takes is for one tiny thing to cause an accident. This is why it is important to promote driving education and to make sure that all drivers are safe and responsible. After all, if someone crashes, and they are not the only one in the car, it is not just their life that may be taken from them.