Education is the best prevention

Education is the best prevention. Education serves as the best way to minimize the frequency and severity of car accidents. Car accidents not only pose a threat to individuals, but also families and communities. Along with death, car accidents can also cause severe and sometimes lifelong injuries. Proper driver education teaches theoretical and practical skills, and these are both extremely important when out on the road. With proper education, we can not only prevent accidents but also inform people about the benefits of cautious driving, and also the heavy repercussions of dangerous driving. Driver education can help save millions of lives in communities around the world.

There are many steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. One of the most important steps is driver education. As mentioned previously, education is the best prevention, and without it, car accidents are guaranteed to happen. Another step that can be done to minimize accidents is the use of modern technology in cars. As we progress into the future, cars are getting smarter and smarter. Cars can now see vehicles that the driver cannot, break when the driver doesn’t realize they need to, park themselves, navigate roads unknown to the driver, and so much more. This smart technology that is already being applied to cars will prevent accidents that drivers don’t even see coming. Additionally, a step that can be taken is the strict enforcement of traffic laws. If people know they can be punished for speeding, or any other illegal driving act, they won’t do it. Even the sight of a police car on or near a road will cause drivers to slow down and drive safer. Another step is the improvement of infrastructure. If roads are well lit, have clear signs and markings, and also have safety features like barriers, roads will be overall safer for drivers.

I have never been in a car accident personally, but I have been in near accidents and I have personally witnessed a severe accident that was caused by a tired driver who didn’t pull off when he needed to. He rear-ended the car in front of him as he fell asleep going 60 miles per hour. The car in front of him spun off the road to the right, but if that car had spun to the left, it would have hit the car with me and my friends and could have severely injured us along with the drivers and passengers in the original cars. I have driven irresponsibly, and I have seen friends and family drive irresponsibly. Driving irresponsibly is not always something we do intentionally. We receive a text we want to respond to, we may have a picture we want to take, or our minds may just not be focused on the road. Most often, I see friends and family on phones. One of my close friends only nearly avoided an extreme accident, which would have been a lot worse had she not looked up from her phone in time to hit her brakes as another car ran a red light. Driving irresponsible is scary, but often we don’t realize that we are doing it until it is too late.

One step I need to take to become a better driver is to not speed. Often I am running late, or anxious to get somewhere so I speed in order to try and make it. I have learned from personal experience that speeding does not often get you to your destination much quicker, just more dangerously. Another step I can take is to be careful when going in between lanes of traffic. When I am stuck behind a slower driver, it frustrates me. However, the best move in that scenario is not to quickly move to the other lane to pass the car. It is safer to check my surroundings first, and slowly and safely make the lane change. The last thing I can do to help myself and others to become safer as well is to always stay aware of my surroundings while driving. When I stay aware, I can minimize risk for myself by avoiding others while also minimizing risk for other drivers by staying out of their way.

Overall, I strongly believe in the fact that education is the best prevention. If everyone works together to become educated themselves, the roads will be safer for everyone. By educating, we can save the lives of thousands of people. By educating, those closest to you will be safer.