Driving Miss Daisy – What To Know Before You Get Behind The Wheel

“Everything in life is somewhere else, you get there in a car.” Written by E.B. White, these words embody a sentiment that permeates society today: cars, an amazing innovation of modern times, are necessary for daily activity. This necessity calls for skill and experience behind the wheel, and this training is something most people experience at the young age of 16. At 16, teenagers look forward to the newfound freedom that cars bring, freedom to hang out with friends, freedom to get a job, freedom to explore. But that freedom comes with a risk. Every year, an estimated 1.3 million people die in car accidents, and somewhere between 20 and 50 million people are injured in accidents every year. These terrifying statistics are proof of the dangerous roads we drive every day. Even though the roads will remain a dangerous place for drivers, there are steps that can be taken to improve the safety of drivers: emphasizing the importance of driver education and an increased focus on understanding car maintenance.

Road safety knowledge has been proven to be a protective factor against dangerous driving, with those who have a lower understanding of traffic laws being prone to accidents more so than their educated peers. It is simple for one to say that an increase of education results in an increase of driver safety, but it is perhaps best understood through the use of an analogy. In school, when a student is learning to write an essay, they are provided with the structure and methods by with they any write a successful and proficient essay. By being given these instructions, the teacher is setting up their student for success, and are enabling them with the tools necessary to continue to write proficient essay in the future. In the same manner, people who receive driver education are provided with the necessary skills to become good drivers. Good drivers are safe drivers, thus showing that driver education is important in reducing the risk of death or injury due to driving.

Education has proven itself to be an effective tool for increase road safety and knowledge, as well as preventing deaths and injury related to car accidents. However, I believe that more can be done to keep drivers safe. Enforcing a mandatory retake of the driver’s test every five to ten years would force individuals to refresh themselves on the rules of the road in order to keep their licenses. I also believe that understanding how one’s car functions is incredibly important in maintaining driver safety. Knowing what one’s car needs when it needs it to maintain functionality reduces the risks of breakdowns and malfunctions occurring on the road.

Understanding and preventing the dangers of driving is important for everyone to understand, but it is very important topic to me. Almost exactly a year ago, I was involved in an accident on I-45N on my way home to celebrate my Dad’s birthday. The car in front of me suddenly stopped, and though I was able to avoid hitting the car in front of me, the car behind me was not paying attention and rear-ended me, sending me into the car in front of me and almost sending me into another lane in the highway. Thankfully, I was not injured aside from a jaw that would click for months after, but I remember vividly the feeling of dread and fear of that moment; I was experiencing the best case scenario, even though my car was totaled, and my accident could have been so much worse. My accident rattled me for a very long time, even if it was not my fault. I would become nervous behind the wheel and overtly cautious; my sisters even told me that I was beginning to drive like an old man.

Overcoming my fear of driving was not an easy feat; I still found myself struggling to remain calm on the road six months after the fact. However, as my over-cautiousness on the road began to revert back to normal, I realized that it was a wake up call for the way I had been driving. From not fully checking my blind spots before changing lanes to not keeping up to date with my car’s maintenance, I had not been a good driver before my accident. But that all changed. Now, I keep a schedule of what my car needs, whether that is a tire rotation, an oil change, or even new windshield wipers. Now, I check all of my blind spots before changing lanes or taking my exit, using my blinker all the time. Now, I am a safer driver. From my experience, the longer people drive, the more comfortable they get with little errors, such as speeding and use of blinkers. People become complacent in their driving, and forget how dangerous driving can truly be.

Cars have become an essential part of life. From freedom to transportation, cars provide us with the ability to move efficiently throughout towns and cities. But, the risks and dangers of driving are not to be discredited by our need for cars. The millions of deaths and injuries that occur as a result of poor driving demonstrate a need for driving reform. This reform could look like an institution of a retake of the driver’s test, or an emphasized understanding of one’s car. Either way, this reform is necessary for every single driver. Just as E.B. White wrote, “everything in life is somewhere else,” and everyone deserves to arrive there safely.

Sources Used:

“‘Everything in Life Is Somewhere Else, You Get There in a Car.’” Addicted to Cars, 28 July 2016, addictedtocars.com/about/.

Driving-Tests.org. “2023 Driving Statistics: The Ultimate List of Driving Stats.” Driving Statistics: The Ultimate List of Car Accident Statistics [2023], driving-tests.org/driving-statistics/. Accessed 13 Oct. 2023.

Alonso, Francisco, et al. “Effect of Road Safety Education on Road Risky Behaviors of Spanish Children and Adolescents: Findings from a National Study.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 12 Dec. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6313808/.