Drive in Good Conscience

Driver education is extremely important in reducing the number of vehicular injuries and deaths that occur each year. Every driver must learn, internalize, and apply the uniform rules of the road as we are entrusted to operate 3,000 plus pounds of heavy machinery responsibly. Far too often, people take this responsibility for granted, as vehicular accidents cause over five million injuries and claim the lives of over 30,000 people each year. Driving a vehicle is one of the riskiest things we do each day, and the tendency for people to multi-task from behind the wheel only increases the peril.

A few years ago, my great-grandmother, a vibrant woman of habit, took her daily walk to the supermarket to buy her scratch-off lottery tickets and some groceries for dinner. Devastatingly, she never returned home. She was struck and killed right within her quiet housing community by a distracted teenage driver that lived just two houses away. Not only was my family extremely broken from the loss, the driver’s family had to deal with the mental anguish of knowing that carelessness caused such harm. This is the toughest and most unfortunate way to learn a lesson.

I was in a car accident, myself, when I was younger. Another vehicle slammed into the back of our car, and our car lurched forward, hitting the vehicle in front of us. Our car was totaled, but my parents and I were blessed to make it out ok with just minor pain and bruises. I was too young to understand it at the time, but I know now that the crash occurred because the drivers had been following each other too closely. Although we were hit from behind, my parent was still at fault for hitting the vehicle in front of us. Perhaps an educational ad campaign at the time could have reminded even experienced drivers to maintain a safe driving distance. Maybe drivers could take continuing education classes like they do in their professions in order to renew their license.

Surprisingly, not all states in the US require driver education before granting a license. Since new drivers have the highest accident rates, this seems to undermine the seriousness of driving and the importance of safety. At the very least, drivers need to understand traffic laws and regulations that make it possible to coexist on the roads. For example, traffic signals and signs, road markings, and right-of-way rules are crucial basics. Also, many driver education courses teach practices like maintaining a safe distance and adjusting for weather conditions. And more increasingly, courses warn against distracted and impaired driving. Several states now also require new drivers to practice specific driving skills with supervision, as reading and reacting to situations on the road is so important. Supervised behind-the-wheel training plays a vital role in creating knowledgeable and safe drivers.

Over the past few years, the number of vehicular deaths has been declining. States have enacted campaigns to make safe driving a social norm. Creative messages that resonate with older and younger adults remind drivers of their responsibility to keep their eyes on the road and maintain speed limits. Some also remind us to put aside distractions from our cell phones and refrain from texting and engaging on social media while driving.

One campaign that I think would also be effective is to encourage parents to be good examples for their teenagers and young adults. They know that the adage “Do as I say, not as I do” is not very effective, and they need to lead through appropriate actions. I do my part as well to encourage safe driving. As a passenger, I often offer to man the radio, hold the phone, and even refrain from eating all the french fries on the way home, so the driver doesn’t get jealous and reach for the bag.

Now that I have my driver’s license, I turn on “do not disturb” on my phone when I am driving, so notifications do not come through. I know that at no time will I allow peer pressure to influence me to break the law. I also do not remain silent when I see my friends or family driving distracted or speeding. I speak up because if they were to be involved in an accident, I do not want it on my conscience that I did not discourage reckless behavior.

I also share my family’s story with others so they understand the realities of risky driving. I tell them that even when it seems no one is on a road but you, and it appears safe to avert your attention; you should not do it. This is what occurred when my great grandmother was killed. No one wants taking the life of another person on their conscience for the rest of their lives. It is not a death you can call an accident. When you take your eyes off the road while operating a vehicle, it is a choice. Driver education must be a priority, so that everyone entrusted with this responsibility can be knowledgeable and safe.