More Than a Statisitic

The horrors of automobile-related incidents and disasters are tragic beyond comprehension. These catastrophes abruptly alter the course of an individual’s life, sending shockwaves through families, friends, and co-workers. In February 2017, I experienced the immense heartache of a motor accident first hand. Grandma Diane was driving my younger sister home from school during one of Canada’s patented snowstorms. As my grandma was going straight through an intersection, a large truck skidded on ice trying to break hard as they were approaching the lights. The driver was unable to stop in time and ran the red light, crashing into the drivers side of my grandma’s vehicle. My sister Jocelyn who was fortunately on the other side of the car took less damage but still had minor fractures and some bruises. However, Jocelyn was traumatised by the experience, and is still frightened to ride in an automobile seven years later. On the other hand, grandma broke her back, ribs, and had damage to her hip as well. Diane, who used to play sports with me, go for walks, and lived an active life, was now unable to move without her wheelchair. Following the incident, grandma could not see her friends and was overcome by loneliness and depression shortly after. It is astonishing how one individual’s poor decision can impact the way of life for an entire family forever. Countless other Canadians, Americans and I have felt the dreadful consequences of unsafe and uneducated driving. To solve the problem, concrete steps to educate operators on a national scale will help mitigate dangers associated with irresponsible driving.

With the snow-covered winters in my hometown Calgary, Alberta, the treacherous road conditions result in horrific incidents. Many people do not take necessary precautions when driving on harsh snow and ice, as a result crashes are more frequent because of too small following distances, aggressive turns, late breaking, and many other causes. All too often, operators on the roads lack awareness of the risks and proper procedures when driving a vehicle. The life-threatening dangers of high-speed motor travel is still a concern here in North America and around the world. In 2016, it was reported that 25,000 people were killed on EU roads and 135,000 had an injury (1). To find solutions to the uneducated driving endemic it is crucial to pinpoint the exact problems on the road to efficiently tackle them through our action. It is estimated that around 80% of all automobile related incidents involved inattentive drivers three seconds prior to the incident (2). Moreover, another source of accidents is the inexperience of youth and new drivers. Other actions that cause danger while driving include; impaired driving, not utilising safety measures (seat belts), and lack of preparation for intense weather. These causes can be solved by instating programs informing all operators of threats on the road, and procedures to effectively resolve problems to create safer roads for our nation. In nations that have implemented a driver education program, studies have shown that young drivers who had not taken the course were 1.22 times more likely to be involved in an incident within their first two years on the road (1). Limiting unsafe driving remains a crucial task in many leader’s agenda and motor education courses prove to be a reliable solution to the problem.

As aforementioned, a necessary measure to combat the risks and dangers of motor-operating is a nation of drivers that are informed and prepared. To accomplish this, direct courses of action must be taken, starting with the individual, and scaling up to a country. The first step to attain safer driving habits individually is to leave enough time for travel. Running late for a scheduled activity is one of the main causes of speeding, and roughly 12% of accidents in the US are due to a vehicle exceeding the speed limit. Secondly, a simple, but often overlooked strategy for safer travel is to remove distractions in the car. Phones, smart-watches, blasting music, and other diversions usually cause a hindrance in performance at the wheel leading to ill-advised manoeuvres. In addition, another solution is to expose young people to the unforgiving consequences of irresponsible driving. Providing teens with stories from people whose lives were forever changed by the poor decision of someone else may encourage them to think twice before driving carelessly. Implementing these strategies will be an important step to keep innocent life secure and thriving during the hostile activity of driving.

With the countless lives unfairly taken and altered by unsafe driving, it is important to recognize these individuals as more than just a statistic. To honour them, let us hold their memories close and pursue actions to make drivers safer and prepared for the roads of tomorrow.