In the Driver’s Seat

Driver education plays a crucial role in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving for several reasons.

The first reason is that driver’s education gives students the knowledge of traffic laws to drive safely and the knowledge of traffic signs to be safe on the road. Learning defensive driving techniques enables students to anticipate the potential hazards of other drivers and the different weather conditions. Defensive driving is the ability to stay vigilant to the dangers of driving under the influence, texting while driving, distracted driving, and alike behaviors that could lead to accidents.

Driver education teaches safe driving practices such as wearing a seat belt, instruction of emergency maneuvers, and how to manage the vehicle proficiently. By emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability behind the wheel, we can foster a culture of safe driving among inexperienced drivers.

New drivers gain experience in safe driving habits that can have a long-term impact on their safety and the safety of others. Studies show that students who participate in driver education tend to have lower accident rates and decreased insurance incentives.

Creating safe drivers is vital to significantly lowering the risk of fatal accidents.

There are important steps to reduce the number of deaths related to driving including education, enforcement, engineering, and community engagement.

The first effective step of safe driving is to implement a drivers ed program that teaches a defensive driving program, next, to invest in an improved road infrastructure, enforce traffic laws, encourage traffic utilization systems such as collision avoidance systems, promote safe driving campaigns, and regular vehicle maintenance. Implementing these steps collectively can create a significant reduction in driving-related deaths, creating safer roads for everyone.

A close friend of mine worked for traffic control of NIPSCO and was hit by an intoxicated driver at the end of his workday. At the time he was running for mayor in the small town of Plymouth Indiana but did not get a chance to make any positive community changes due to his passing. He was in his early thirties and part of the local car club. His younger brother passed in a car accident when he was in high school. Their mother is a close friend of mine, she started a foundation called Roadside Awareness and hosts community events to raise money for awareness of road workers. She has billboards all over Indiana to support her foundation in remembrance of her sons Ben and Josh Fisher, who were a kind and loving friends to many. They were star football players in high school and received scholarships they never got to use. I could not image being a mother and losing not one but two children to driving accidents. My heart breaks for her and her third son who is now an only child.

I have also been involved in a major car accident when I was a child. My stepfather was driving and my mother in the passenger seat with three kids in the back. It was raining pretty hard, and Dad took the curve too fast. It was a Sunday morning, and we were headed home from church. What I remember is all three kids in the back were hanging upside down because we were strapped in the seatbelts. The car was entirely flipped on its roof. The rescue crew was astonished that no one had a single scratch from the car flipping. It was truly a miracle.

Becoming a better and safer driver involves personal responsibility and community engagement. Staying focused on the road and avoiding distractions like using your phone is important, keep your eyes on the road at all times, follow traffic laws and obey the speed limit, use turn signals when changing lanes and turning to help other drivers anticipate your actions, use hazard lights in case of an emergency, maintain a safe distance from other drivers allows ample reaction time in case of sudden stops, discuss safe driving with your children while on the road, adjust to your driving conditions, use wipers in the rain, fog lights in fog, and four-wheel drive in the snow. Remember to be mindful of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

As an advocate of safe driving, I support local policies and aim to improve road safety by encouraging the use of a designated driver and never driving while under the influence.

Demonstrating safe driving behaviors in my actions encourages others to follow when they see me prioritizing safety.

Utilizing driver education and following these steps, we encourage others to do the same, we contribute to a culture of safety on the road, leading to fewer accidents and safer driving experiences for everyone.