What Does Being a Safe Driver Look Like?

What makes you a safe driver? Is it going the speed limit, being alert of your surroundings, or coming to a complete stop at stop signs? In truth, all of these factors and more contribute to safe driving. One small mistake on the road can be the cause of many injuries or even death. Most people believe that it simply cannot happen to them. However, no one is protected from the dangerous occurrences of America’s modern traveling system.

In order to even begin driving at a young age, you are required to pass two different tests. The first test involves multiple choice questions that ask about simple driving rules and regulations. If passed, you can move onto the next test which is a physical driving test with an instructor. They grade you based on how well you manage the car, other cars, and the road. After these easy tasks are accomplished, you are free to start your driving journey. Although, many students participate in driver’s education before they attempt the written test. This course goes more in depth on rules of the road and how to practice safe driving. It seems to be very beneficial and can possibly decrease car crash percentages. There was a study done in the state of Nebraska and it proved that if a teenager does not choose to attend driver’s education, they are “​​75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident and 16 percent more likely to have an accident” (Reed). It is very likely that statistics similar to this can be related to many other states around the country. If it was possible to decrease the cost of driver’s education, more students could participate and the death rate from car crashes could be significantly lower. In short, it could save many lives.

The solutions to reduce fatal car accidents are endless. One of those solutions could be increasing the age requirement to start driving. In some states, you can get a valid driver’s license at the young age of fourteen. At this age, you are a lot more vulnerable to poor decisions. Many kids, at fourteen years old, are just entering their first year of high school. The road could be less dangerous if we get the adolescents off of it. Secondly, the conditions to drive without supervision could be multiplied. The few demands consist of a couple tests and proof of experience on the road for a certain amount of hours depending on the state. Not to mention, it would be fairly easy to turn in a counterfeit driving log so that specific person would not be fit to drive safely. If the required hours were to become more monitored, the effort of creating experience could be made more effective. Lastly, the written and driving test could be made more challenging. In South Dakota, the written test is approximately 25 questions or less. If the questions were to be harder and the test longer, the students not capable of driving would be eliminated from the streets.

Several months ago, my best friend, Georgia Elumbaring, was involved in a fatal car crash. This crash took place in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where a drunk driver was driving 115 miles per hour down a street with the speed limit of 35 miles per hour and ran a red light. Georgia’s car was T-boned while turning on a green light. There were six people involved: two people in the speeding car and four in the other car. Out of the six, two people were killed from inside the rule-following car. My friend was severely injured with many broken bones and had to spend almost a month in the hospital. She had to have lots of surgeries to realign her shattered bones such as her left arm, left ankle, right middle toe, and hip. The drunk driver had a BAC of 0.222 and his blood was positive for cocaine, marijuana, and prescribed anxiety medication. At this level of intoxication, it is extremely reckless to get behind the wheel. No person of authority would have been able to stop this from occurring. If his friends would have been strong enough to stand up to him and refuse to let him drive, two young people would be alive right now. This man was drinking at a bowling alley and could have been easily stopped if anyone there cared to get a ride for him and his friend.

Steps that I, personally, can take to be a better driver is following the rules of the road and being very observant of my surroundings. Even if I am not a bad driver, someone else around me could be and I could suffer the consequences of that if I am not careful enough. The simple rules that I try my best to follow while driving are going the speed limit, stopping at stop signs and lights, watching for pedestrians, observing other cars, not texting and driving, and many others. Some ideas to help my friends and family be safe drivers are making sure to remind them to be cautious not only for themselves, but for their passengers and cars nearby as well. Mentioning to go the speed limit might be the difference between life and death.

Works Cited:

Reed, Leslie. “Study: Driver’s Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets.” Nebraska Today, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, 13 Aug. 2015, https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/unltoday/article/study-driver-s-ed-significantly-reduces-teen-crashes-tickets/