The Individual and Systemic Solutions for American Driver Safety

In the United States especially, driving is everything, and there are millions of drivers. If even one driver acts irresponsibly, the results can be catastrophic for many or a few. The country has taken multiple initiatives in the past to improve driving conditions and incentivize safe driving, but more work must be done. It can only take a second for a person to be put in the hospital and deal with life-ruining, or life-ending, injuries. So for the average American, having knowledge of how to drive safely can save millions.

In psychology, there is a phenomenon called the “Reverse Tinkerbell effect” in which when something is more widely believed, it becomes more likely to vanish. A common example, and the perfect one here, is that when more people believe driving is safe, driving conversely becomes more dangerous, as people will start driving less cautiously. It is a good initiative to inform people that driving is indeed extremely dangerous; when I was learning to drive, my parents were very emphatic of the repercussions of unsafe driving. I’m sure I heard the term “metal death machine” in there somewhere! My driving record has been safe so far, and I attribute that fact to my parents’ warnings.

But there is an uncomfortable truth we must accept when it comes to overall driving safety, and it is that we have created horrendous infrastructure for our cities that favor cars over pedestrians and public transit. It has become a recent growing issue among young Americans that the US is too “car-centric.” Massive highways, parking lots making up substantial portions of cities, and a lack of decent public transportation in many towns contribute to the massive amount of yearly car-related deaths. When cars are the only choice, of course they are gonna be dangerous. When cities are designed with people in mind, they become safer. The biggest solution to car deaths is systemic, not individual. It is found that cities with citizens who travel more transit miles correlates to less car deaths. When more people are riding trains and buses, that’s safer roads and a largely reduced risk for drivers.

My claim comes from experience; in summer of 2024, I studied abroad in Paris, France to learn French, and I very duly noted the phenomenal transit infrastructure that Paris contained. You could get just about anywhere in the massive city by train; everywhere was walkable and filled to the brim with culture; and the cars? There were many, but the streets had bike/bus lanes, they had borders, and they were incredibly safe! And guess what? The traffic was wonderful too! When cities aren’t designed around just one form of transportation, they free up opportunities to travel. Less cars = less traffic. It is very simple. Cities like New York are widely known for their subway systems and they have taken initiatives to be walkable. When these steps are taken, driving becomes much safer for everyone involved.

It can only take one driver to hurt a lot of people, and that happened to my uncle once. In 2016, he accidentally crashed into a house because we was dizzy while driving. It was attributed to the large amount of coffee he drank, and there was a period in which much of my family was holding their breaths. I can vividly remember the ways my parents, my aunt, and my cousins were speaking of the situation. I remember the way my mother informed me of the situation, how much it affected my oldest brother’s graduation, and talking to my cousins, his children, about it. I’d say I’ve been lucky when it comes to cars, but how many Americans cannot speak the same? Collisions, crashes, accidents, and pain happen everyday for American drivers. You could very easily find news articles about local incidents involving cars, and that’s all you need to know about how widespread the issue is.

Individually, the steps I, or anyone, can take to be safer is just to be cautious and aware. When I drive, I keep note of all signs, road problems, and follow rules of the road. When I was learning to drive, I had an understanding of right-of-way, what to do in specific situations, and remaining calm. The latter most is perhaps the most important thing a driver can do. Always assess your situation and act accordingly. Think about where you are and think from the perspective of other drivers. When you can think individually and collectively, you can help a lot of people on the road and keep a clean record of driving.