Safe Driving Awareness

Safe Driving Awareness

Every time we start our car, we are taking a serious calculated risk. The simple reality is we are driving 3,000+ lb. boxes of metal at high speed with a probability of colliding with other vehicles of a similar nature. I often use this blunt description to remind myself how cautious and attentive I need to be every single time I get behind the wheel. Driving is no joke, and one must practice extreme caution every single time they take the wheel. The number of accidents and fatalities resulting from these accidents is devastating, and better practices must be put into place to limit the staggering numbers. Driver education is perhaps the best place to start in effort to promote safe driving practices. When drivers are faced with the grim reality of what can happen when unsafe practices occur behind the wheel and are informed of the staggering accident statistics in the United States, this can often be enough to inspire safe practices behind the wheel. While inspiring safe practices is a great start, it is not enough in the way of education. Drivers need to be informed of safe driving practices and defensive driving tactics. Continuing to learn as a driver is essential and knowing the rules of the road goes hand in hand with that. In the US, we often take our permit test where we really learn the rules of the road, and that is where our accumulation of knowledge on the rules of the road essentially ends. We drive another 50+ years, never looking at the rules again. Granted we are constantly practicing our knowledge of said rules every time we drive, but the rules are very nuanced with a lot of detail that many drivers often forget or pay no attention to. If we were to reinforce our knowledge of the rules and laws of the road throughout our lives, we can likely reduce driver deaths, as a large portion of accidents occur as a result of poor driving knowledge and practices.

It is no question that the leading cause of driver accidents and fatalities can be pointed to distracted and intoxicated driving. In today’s society, there is no shortage of distractions. Between the radio, cell phones, passengers, and vehicle infotainment systems, there is no shortage of distractions, which can only serve as a detriment to safe driving. Eliminating these distractions EVERY SINGLE TIME one gets behind the wheel can greatly reduce accidents and improve driver safety across the board. Put your phone away, if you have hands-free technology, use it. If you do not have hands-free technology, do not pick up the phone and leave it where it is–locked away. Change radio stations when you are in a safe position to. Avoid playing around with vehicle infotainment systems whenever possible. Always keep your eyes on the road. No matter how stable you think your environment may be, things can change in an instant, and it is not worth the risk. Now when it comes to driving under the influence, simply DO NOT. There are plenty of ways around driving intoxicated, many thanks to our modern world: Uber, public transit, taxis, and the classic designated driver. If hungover the next day, wait until you are ready to drive; whatever you have going on the next day can wait. I firmly believe that there is absolutely, positively no reason to ever drive under the influence.

I will admit to seeing my friends driving irresponsibly, to my disappointment. While I do not know anyone who has gotten behind the wheel under the influence, I do know some who drive distracted with their cellphones. To make matters worse, the same folks who drive distracted also do so at very high speeds with constant lane changes and erratic braking. This has served as a reminder to myself to engage in safe driving practices, as well as my other friends. Through talks with these erratic driving friends, my friends and I have been able to improve the driving of said erratic drivers. While their practices are not quite as safe now as they could be, they have improved.

In effort to be a better driver myself, I can certainly be more attentive when I drive. I can pay better attention to other drivers around me and improve my reactions to the actions of others. I can improve my awareness of my own vehicle and be more considerate to other drivers for sure. I can eliminate any drowsy driving or distracted driving via my cell phone or the radio. Lastly, I can absolutely benefit from growing my knowledge of the rules of the road, just as we all can. I consider myself to be a safe driver, but I am by no means a perfect one. There is always room to improve. This applies to the very best drivers as well. I can encourage all my friends and loved ones to embark on this journey with me to be a better driver as well. When we all drive safe, we all benefit.