Milestones and Motorways: Navigating the Road to Independence and Safety

This week my youngest brother passed his drivers test and received his drivers license. This is a significant milestone in his life, representing his freedom and independence. However, the roads are very dangerous, and without proper education and awareness, risks increase significantly. Car accidents are one of my biggest fears not only for my safety, but for the safety of those I love. Our lives are left in the hands of the thousands of strangers that we share the road with everyday. This idea combined with all of the reckless driving behavoir I have witnessed driving in LA traffic has left an impact on me. Ensuring that all of my friends and family understands the importance of safe driving practices is a priority for me.

Driver education plays a crucial role in reducing the number of fatalities on the road. Proper education equips new drivers with the knowledge and skills they need to drive and ensure the safety of those around them. It covers essential topics such as traffic laws, road signs, defensive driving techniques, and the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Through comprehensive driver education programs, individuals learn to anticipate potential hazards and react appropriately, which significantly reduces the likelihood of accidents.

Driver education fosters a sense of responsibility and respect for other road users. When drivers understand the consequences of their actions, they are more likely to display safe driving behaviors. Studies have shown that countries with mandatory driver education programs have lower rates of road accidents and fatalities. For instance, Sweden has mandatory and rigorous driver education program, the road fatality rate is one of the lowest in the world. This demonstrates that investing in driver education can save lives and create safer communities. I wish that the US would adopt stricter and more rigorous driver education programs. I have heard way too many stories of fellow classmates who find the fact that they barely passed their drivers test to be hilarious. This is followed by jokes about how they are a self proclaimed terrible driver. Thinking about this now makes me concerned for how my younger brothers could be impacted by this social aspect of driving. I have made sure to explain how dangerous that type of attitude is and how it he can avoid being influenced by it. This dangerous attitude towards driving is extremely dangerous is something I want to see eliminated within American culture, especially in new highschool drivers.

Another way that I believe could be impactful for better increasing the safety of the roads is more serious consequences for driving infractures that show a pure lack of concern for the safety of others. For example, in highschool there were a group of kids who were very privileged when it came to wealth and the cost of their cars. This was severely taken advantage of and they were constantly posting about their top speed on the freeway and their distaste for police that gave them speeding tickets. However, a speeding ticket was nothing but small expense for them to continue their dangerous driving. The cost of tickets impacts everyone differently depending on their income. I believe things like suspending cars or licences for very severe infraction such as going 30+ over the speed limit should require these more drastic punishments to further enforce seriousness of these infractions.

One way that I have ensured my own safety while driving is, when possible, ensuring that I drive myself or others to group event. In highschool, a friend of mine found it funny to turn their headlights off while on a dark road for short intervals calling himself the “nightflyer.” After having to endure bing a passenger in that car I made sure to never ride in his car again. It might cost me more gas and milage on my car to always be driving long distance carpools, but I would much rather prefer to put my safety in my own hands rather than someone else who may not take driver safety as serious as I do.

As the oldest sibling and cousin, I understand the influence I have on my younger family members. I always strive to set a positive example by following traffic laws, avoiding aggressive driving, and prioritizing safety over convenience. The only time I am more than happy to be a passenger is when I get to ride with my younger brothers so I can ensure that they are becoming safe drivers and can teach them driving safety tips that they might not have learned in drivers education