How To Drive Safely

More than 38,000 people die in car crashes on U.S. roadways every year. The odds of dying in a car crash are 1 in 107 as of 2019. The highest causes of death from driving include drunk driving, distracted driving, texting & driving, aggressive driving, & many more. Looking at these statistics, it begs the question, “how do I avoid these statistics while driving?” Easy, by practicing driving safety!

Driving safely & being educated in the ways of the road are key to reducing the number of deaths each year. By being mindful of the cars around you, using your mirrors, using your blinkers, practicing full stops, & yielding for others you will help reduce numbers drastically. The most important thing, however, to remember is to respond quickly. Drivers Ed has taught you the basics in driving safely on the road, but it also taught you to think quick in case of an accident about to happen. It may sound daunting, but it is as simple as pulling over for an ambulance passing through or waiting to switch lanes when you see a car speeding by.

The importance of driving safely is a matter of life & death on the road so choose to drive safe & always wear your seatbelt. In 2019, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, out of 22,215 passengers killed, 47% were not wearing seatbelts. In 2017, seatbelts saved an estimation of 14,955 lives & could have saved an additional 2,549 if they had worn their seatbelts. Luckily the number of people who choose to wear their seatbelts have heightened in 2021 at an estimation of 90.4%.

Next, it is of the utmost importance to never get behind the wheel if you’re impaired by alcohol or drugs. About 28 people in the United States die in drunk driving accidents every single day. One person every 52 minutes. In 2019, the NHTSA reported that deaths caused by drunk driving reached its lowest percentage since 1982, the year the NHTSA began reporting on alcohol data. Deaths caused by drunk driving are completely preventable by being responsible & waiting until you are sober to drive.

I have been driving for about 6 years now & I have been in a few minor car accidents, all of which have occurred in a parking lot. According to statistics, about 20% of car accidents occur in parking lots or garages. My first accident was one I remember the most because of how terrified I was. I was driving out of the parking lot of a supermarket and as I reached the stop sign to turn a car turned onto the same road and swerved in front of me so fast that I couldn’t react in time to slam the breaks. The accident was very minor for both my car and the other driver’s car, but I remember being in shock. The police came soon after and wrote a report of the accident & I called my dad in tears asking for help to figure out what to do. Months after that accident I was terrified to step into my car again in fear I would get into an accident again & it took me a long, long time to feel confident & safe in my own car again.

That accident was the first I had ever experienced but I remember when I took Drivers Ed in my senior year me & my classmates witnessed a car accident right next to us in our first few weeks. We were on the way back to school, one of my classmates was driving & me & the other students were in the back. The instructor told the student driver to switch lanes & as they did, they noticed a car in the lane we were proceeding to turn into didn’t want to let us in. The student driver waited for that person to pass in order to switch lanes safely & they passed but ended up slamming into the car in front of them because they were speeding up, not wanting our car to pass in front of them. It was the first accident all of us had ever witnessed & it was terrifying. The instructor took it as a good opportunity to lecture us about how dangerous driving can be if you aren’t paying attention & I never forgot about it.

The only advice I can truly give to everyone who wants to be a safer driver is to be aware of your surroundings, be aware of the people around you & what they are doing, & of course wearing your seatbelt. At the end of the day, some car accidents are inevitable, but it is up to us to make the roads a safer place to avoid most accidents & deaths.