Implementations and Implications of Driver’s Education and Transmissions

Implementations and Implications of Driver’s Education and Transmissions

Driver’s safety in America has consistently gone down, as fatalities in crashes have gone up. Driving education in America has a loose hold on licensed drivers, those young and those old, as new age drivers learn from the last generation, changes in the American driving system are consistently ignored or misunderstood due to the difference in generations. Certain implementations can be made to reduce fatalities in America as Driver’s Ed programs have been restricted in a majority of school systems, this education program within public education can heavily increase driver knowledge and road-ready preparation.

As well as drivers education programs in public schools, distracted driving has caused about 3500 fatalities a year are caused from cell phone use in the U.S. while U.K. fatalities from cell phone use have consistently gone down at about 350 a year, both statistics taken in 2021. I believe that a factor in this distinct difference in distracted drivers is the implementation of manual transmission vehicles. A manual transmission vehicle requires the driver to have both hands free to be able to shift gears as well as pay attention to the road for incoming traffic. As a manual transmission driver, I understand the importance of paying attention to the road and have been within very close calls with drivers distracted on their cell phone as it illuminates their faces. The U.K. reports about 78% of registered cars are manual transmissions as well as consistently having 10% the amount of U.S. vehicle fatalities, these statistics, I believe, to be related. With drivers being required to have both hands free, there is little room for them to use their phone before needing to shift, especially in a city environment where crashes are more prevalent. However, with the rise of electric vehicles and there-fore decline of gearboxes entirely, implementation of manual transmissions to electric vehicles has been deemed impossible– not true. As of 2018, Ford Motors patented the mechanics for an electric clutch to neutralize the engine from the axis, creating a faux-manual transmission (Patent ID US20200200259A1). This implementation into electric vehicles, as speculation arises that this will be implemented into future Mustang models, will shift the focus of the electric vehicles being less autonomous, allowing for more distracted driving, into a new era of vehicles like the U.K. ‘s market for manual transmission vehicles.

In January of 2022, my best friend, who I will refer to here as Jane, lost her sister due to a distracted driver. The driver was in a large vehicle and had not seen the red light. While Jane’s sister turned left, the driver had t-boned her vehicle, taking the life of Jane’s sister, her boyfriend, and their dog, all three of whom were killed on impact. This changed my perspective on reality and life as a whole as the innocent, invincible kid I was now had an understanding of death as it occurred very close to my life. In 1980, prior to my birth, my Mother’s brother was killed in a car accident due to an intoxicated driver. I was never able to meet my uncle but I hear stories about him and how he was as a person. After Jane had lost her sister, these two events merged and I understood the reality of driving safely as these deaths can be instantaneous and with cell phone use during driving becoming more prevalent, these statistics need to be changed. As well as affecting me, Jane herself was eerily devastated due to the event, being reluctant to drive for about a year after the event and wanting my assistance when she did want to try driving again.

As I have been driving a manual transmission car for about a year and a half now, I understand the road and my car’s abilities more. Accidents that could have been fatal I have avoided due to my keen sense in defensive driving. I continue to promote the idea of manual transmission’s effects on driving capabilities and realize the effect that driving and manual transmission can have on a driver’s mindset as they begin to learn. I look back on my learning and recognize my faults I made previously and understand how to avoid them. I believe that the change in the electric vehicle market can heavily reduce accidents as well as create new jobs for teachers to pass on the knowledge of shifting gears through a city. With this implementation I hope that the U.S. driving system can be improved and fatalities can be reduced so accident’s like Jane’s sister can be avoided.