In the Driver’s Seat

One driver education course may make the difference between a happy life and no life at all. Required driver education courses teach students the rules of the road, protection and safety measures, and warning signs. Paying attention to these lessons is important because they can equip a person with the knowledge and common sense needed to keep themselves and others safe, while also teaching students the benefits of being a defensive driver. Without these lessons, death rates from car accidents will be even higher than they already are. Driver education is capable of saving lives, but it also depends on the general population to ensure better safety and fewer accidents on the road.

To begin, there are ways to lower the number of accidents and deaths while driving. For example, requiring both mental and physical screenings every few years after passing the initial driving test may reduce the number of risky and unsafe drivers. Whether people become mentally unfit to drive, have a disabilitity, or develop sight issues, they are undoubtedly responsible for some percentage of accidents. Eliminating only a few potential dangers for other drivers will decrease the number of deaths caused by driving in some capacity. Having periodic mental and physical screenings for drivers ensure only healthy civilians are on the road.

Continuing, authorizing earlier and stricter curfews may cut down on the number of accidents and deaths there are every year. For instance, it is generally harder to see in the dark, so even the safest of drivers are more prone to getting into a car accident at night. Even though a lot of communities have a general curfew of around eleven o’clock in the evening for most people, there are still people out when they should not be. Being stricter on the curfew and adding consequences for those who evade the rules may make people want to obey it more by staying in the safe confines of their home and stop putting themselves and others at risk.

Also, adding more affordable and abundant taxi services, even in smaller communities, can decrease the number of deaths by car there are. It is common knowledge that drunk driving is a major cause of car accidents every year. What a lot of people may not know is that taxi services are willing to work with local bars in certain areas. Although some may claim that using these services may be expensive and slightly inconvenient, steps can be taken to make these services more accessible and affordable for people to use. People should not be restricted from safely making it to a certain destination because of intoxication. Creating a more affordable and accessible source of transportation for people who find themselves intoxicated will cut down on drunk driving and drastically reduce the number of accidents and deaths caused by driving.

Furthermore, friends and family members being reckless drivers is terrifying because they could be the source of an accident at any given time. For example, my own father is irresponsible when it comes to driving safely. Whether he is driving with his knees instead of his hands, driving one-handed for an extended period of time, looking at the cellphone in his hand, deciding against using his turn signals, or not coming to a complete stop at lights or signs, riding in a car with him is a terrifying experience. His actions can easily cause an accident at any moment because of loss of control or a miscommunication with other drivers. Also, excessive speeding is another extremely risky activity people tend to partake in and they are putting themselves and others into danger because of it. In reality, speeding gets people nowhere. Because of the general flow of traffic, construction, signs, and stop-lights, people are not getting to their destination much quicker than if they went the speed limit. Riding in a car with family members can be scary with the knowledge that their irresponsible decisions and habits may cost someone their life. Fortunately, proper driver education may be able to make a dent in the number of irresponsible drivers trusted with a vehicle.

Additionally, personal steps can be taken to become a better and safer driver, but other people need to be willing to listen and also reach out about the safety and dangers of driving. For instance, people always need to practice defensive driving and share what being a defensive driver means to others in the community. This means following lights, signals, and rules, coming to complete stops, keeping up-to-date on the most recent happenings within the driving community, and always being aware of the surrounding area. Next, practicing reflex work may make a difference between life or death when it comes to car accidents and fatalities. The better the reflexes someone has, the quicker their reaction time will be . This may enable them to correct themselves in a better manner if they are about to cause an accident, or be able to deal with minor injuries and escaping if they get trapped in a car during an accident. Finally, taking extra courses that are related to safe and defensive driving may make a difference in the number of fatalities there are each year. Some of these courses also include benefits like lower insurance rates that will encourage people to be as smart and careful as possible so they do not lose the opportunity. It is up to the general population to take steps with other community members to make driving a safer activity and prevent as many deaths caused by vehicles as possible.

In the end, it comes down to people’s actions to stop the rise in fatalities in car accidents. While driver education courses may help, more people need to pay attention and help make a difference within communities. With the help of safe and defensive drivers, this leading cause of death may be minimized. There will always be car accidents and fatalities, but if people can lower that number by just a margin, the world will be a better place for it. Driver education courses provide a way of teaching about how to be a safe driver, but other people’s lives come down to the actions taken by fellow drivers and if they decide to reflect on these courses.