The Fear and Solution to Driving

A right of passage, freedom, and adulthood These are just a few of the feelings that many new drivers have felt as they sat behind the wheel. But sadly, in recent generations, there have been new feelings among young drivers. Death, fear, and accidents are but a few thoughts that flood the minds of possible drivers and stop many from getting their licenses. I’ve heard older cousins, brothers, and friends refuse to get behind the wheel of a car, anxious about the dangers that may face them if they decide to venture onto the open roads. I don’t blame them, though. I’ve been in a traumatizing accident and have even had family members die from car accidents. The danger that car accidents pose and their frequency are serious. And to change this Improved driver safety is mandatory.

Growing up, I’ve always looked up to my parents as they drove, thinking to myself, “I want to be like them when I grow up.” But as I got older, I realized that this wasn’t the case for everyone. Nine years old, or my cousin’s 16th birthday, I called to wish her a happy birthday. I jokingly commented how the next time I see her, she owes me a ride. However, with an anxious tone, she caught me off guard by saying that “Driving is too scary for me”. This was not the only time this happened. My 19-year-old brother and my 17-year-old cousin expressed the same anxiety when I asked them about those licenses. It was surprising to hear that the people I’ve looked up to symbolize strength, discipline, and courage. My whole life could be scared of something as simple as driving. For our generation, this is not surprising. Statistically, we are much less likely to get our licenses or much more likely to wait to get them than any other generation before us. Therefore, the danger of driving has created a taboo or a stigma for many in my generation. But I don’t blame them, though. There have been millions of car accidents worldwide, even one that I was in. At three years old, my older brother, my parents, and I got into the car like any other day and expected to have an uneventful car ride like we usually do. But suddenly, in the middle of our ride, our car was struck from the side by another oncoming car that did not look both ways. Although I was disoriented, I did not say the same thing about my brother. After collecting myself, I looked up and cried to see my 6-year-old brother bleeding from the head. During the crash, a piece of glass flew from the window and cut the side of his head deep. We needed to get him stitches after, and now when I think of an accident, that moment is always the first to mine. But thankfully, this was a minor outcome compared to other accidents. Many other drivers have died because of unsafe and uneducated drivers. A family member close to me was a victim of this. My aunt Niambi was always very kind and vibrant. When I was eight, I spent the entire summer with her at a summer camp. Whenever I think of her, I’m always reminded of her warm smile and her infectious lab. That would always brighten my day. At 11 years old, I got some news from my older sister that I thought was a cruel joke. Auntie’s neighbor got into a car accident, and she died. I was shocked. She was in the car with my cousin when she got into a fatal collision with another car. What frightened and shocked me the most was the fact that she was internally decapitated by the crash. I know that my cousin, her son, is forever traumatized by that car accident. If the driver hadn’t run that red light, none of that would have happened. This is why driver education is so important to avoid accidents like these. To avoid having to lose a family member or seeing someone you love in the hospital unresponsive because of a collision.

Thus, that raises the question of how? How can we improve driver education in our cities, communities, and nation as a whole? One way to do this is by making driver education mandatory with annual knowledge tests. Not only would this help keep drivers educated, but it would also help elderly drivers whose abilities to drive may degrade and cause accidents. States like New Jersey have implemented policies like this, and this has helped to prevent accidents with impaired drivers. This test would aid young drivers as well, as staying educated often would help to make sure that drivers are driving safely. What will be most impactful on driver safety and education is increasing the number of traffic cameras there are. Traffic cameras have proven to not only slow down but also catch cars that are speeding. Although a stop sign would not halt many, a fine of up to $150 would. By placing speed cameras in more crash-prone and speeding areas, we can greatly reduce crashes and improve driver safety.

Although driver safety may be a prevalent issue, it will only rise in the future. As cars become more and more technologically advanced, humans become less and less dependent on their intuition. With innovations such as AI driving and automated systems becoming more prevalent in the car industry, drivers no longer need to rely on themselves to drive. I have friends who are learning how to drive and have been unable to park a car without the assistance of a rearview camera. This has also been the case for season drivers. My sister, who’s been driving for seven years, has said that parking feels weird without the help of a camera. If this is the case with only a camera, imagine how the everyday use of self-driving cars would affect future generations. If reliance on technology and driving continues, by 2050 generations will have no interest, no education, and no driving whatsoever. But now there are methods that I can use to improve my driving and my education. As I began to drive, I learned how effective it is to always use signals and rear-view mirrors at all times. Also, I believe the biggest thing that I’ve learned while driving that will result in fewer crashes is kindness. “Road rage” is one of the most common causes of accidents and occurs when a driver is angered by another’s actions on the road. This can lead to purposeful accidents and tailgating. With kindness, driving can not only feel like a more welcoming experience but also a safer one, as malpractice on the road, will cease and people will get less angry.

In conclusion, Driver education is essential to our everyday life. If not thousands will die. To improve driver education and safety we must increase the frequency of knowledge, employ more speeding countermeasures, and decrease our reliance on technology.