The Importance of Driving Safe

Drivers education is extremely important to reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving as it ensuring that people are actually learning the rules of the road and practicing them with a trusted teacher. When students attend drivers’ education, they are given access to many classes and information given by trained educators who help give them the information while also giving the why behind these rules and laws are important to follow. When people have background information as well as the why behind these things, it helps students understand why keeping safe and following the rules and laws on the road is so important to not only keep themselves safe but others as well. Driver’s education also helps teach students through hands on methods while driving with others in the car. It helps for practical knowledge and helps you learn some written and unwritten rules and laws of the road.

Other than drivers’ education, there are a few steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths that occur as a result of driving. One thing that could be important is ensuring the visibility of all road signs, especially at night. Whether this means moving a sign so that it is not blocked by trees or lighting the sides up so that the information is visible. This ensures that people are able to see things such as stop signs and speeds at all times, especially at night when things may be hard to see. It also may be important to make things such as automobile fixes more affordable. People who are driving around with cars that are having issues are not driving safely and could get into some safety trouble, however many people do just that because they can’t afford to take their car to a mechanic. By making mechanics and repair shops more affordable, people can fix their cars and be safer on the road. It can also be important to ensure that a person remains distraction free when getting into and driving cars. This may mean texting an accountability group chat to inform them not to text you for x amount of time as you will be driving. Setting your phone to Do Not Disturb will keep notifications from popping up and distracting the driver as well.

While I have not had the experience of being in a car accident, I have seen many friends driving irresponsibly. This is mostly due to distracted driving, whether it be because there are other people in the car having a conversation that the driver would like to be a part of, or it may be because of phone notifications that they feel they need to check. Being a passenger when someone that you trust is not being safe driving can be a terrifying experience as when you get into the car, you feel as though you cannot trust them with your life or the lives of those around you. Due to this, I have begun to offer to check friends’ phones and notifications for them as they drive as well as do things such as check maps. If I know that the person I am getting in a car with may be easily distracted by conversation, I will try to keep conversation to a minimum, ensuring less distractions.

There are many steps that I can take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road. One step that I can take and recommend to others is planning out my route and looking at maps before I begin to drive, especially in unknown places. This ensures that I know things such as speed limits and stop signs when driving in places where I don’t know that information and makes sure that I am not distracted on my phone looking at maps instead of keeping my eyes on the road. Another step that I can take is frequently brushing up on my state’s local DMV testing book and information book. This way I ensure that I am up to date on my state’s laws of the road while keeping myself accountable. To keep others accountable, I can call them on bad driving habits and ask that they do the same for me. If someone driving with me notices that I maybe am not driving the speed limit or distracted by my phone on maps, I would ask that they tell me so that I can resolve that issue to keep us both safe. Due to the fact that I am asking people driving with me to call me on unsafe driving habits, I would hope that they would ask and expect the same of me to keep us both safe while we are putting our trust in each other to drive together.