Decreasing risks in driving

Driving, in today’s world, is more of a necessity than a facility. For many, it is a sign of independence and getting to work, school, or any other social activity. Yet, with this privilege comes one of the biggest risks in the form of road traffic collisions. According to the World Health Organization, every year 1.35 million people die due to road traffic collisions worldwide. In the United States alone, such incidents claim over 40,000 deaths every year. Though the problem is multidimensional, driver education certainly is one of the most powerful weapons for bringing the fatalities down. The course equips a new driver with the primary and key skills and understanding required to take to the roads with confidence. Driver’s Ed plays, therefore, a very important role in reducing the number of accidents, as well as traffic-related fatalities. In addition, further reduction in such types of fatalities will be possible through a range of additional strategies that will comprise advanced technology, law enforcement, and infrastructural improvements.

Driver’s education course focuses on giving the novice driver the knowledge and ability to operate a vehicle safely and responsibly. These courses combine theoretical classes with on-road practical training that equips the young driver with full foundational knowledge of road safety. Driver’s Ed is very important, taking into consideration the teenage drivers who will most likely cause accidents because of inexperience. Studies have shown time and again that young drivers are overrepresented in traffic crashes primarily due to lack of judgment and reflex that come with experience. Driver’s Ed helps to balance these risks with lessons in defensive driving techniques and increasing one’s awareness of potential dangers.

Perhaps the most valuable contribution Driver’s Ed can offer is its emphasis on defensive driving. Defensive driving is essentially teaching drivers how to anticipate possible perils and react to them accordingly so as to avoid an accident. For example, they will be able to maintain a safe distance with the other traffic, observe all potentials of hazards around them, and think clearly and rationally when facing any critical situation. Such skills will be very helpful in averting accidents, especially among inexperienced drivers who might not yet have the instinct of staying away from potential accidents. These lessons are of utmost significance as statistics reflect the tendency of young drivers to make such fatal blunders while driving on the road.

Driver’s education course also teaches young drivers how perilous it is to drive with high speeds, without keeping an eye on the road and driving after consuming liquor. The CDC stated that in 2020, nearly one-third of all traffic-related deaths is accounted for by alcohol-impaired driving. The Driving courses are highly enhanced where one gets awareness in their minds on the matter with respect to driving while drunk, use of a seatbelt, and distraction being caused due to texting. Highly important because Driver’s Education would minimize accidents and cases of fatalities due to having an individual driver much aware of the consequences involved in certain actions.

Further, all but a few states have implemented GDL laws that include time for supervised driving before full licensure. Most of those laws were based upon Driver’s Ed curricula and have been very successful in bringing down the number of teen driving fatalities. Indeed, research indicates that driver education combined with GDL programs reduces fatal accidents among young drivers significantly.

While Drivers Ed contributed greatly to road safety, much more needs to be done in order to further bring down the number of traffic fatalities. New measures against an evolving challenge to ensure road safety should also be put in place with the increased number of vehicles on the road. Such new measures include better driver education, advanced vehicle safety technology, enforcement of traffic laws, and improvement in the design of roads.

Although Driver’s Ed has been quite successful in reducing fatalities, there is still room for further improvement. One area of growth may be in expanding the curriculum to more advanced safety training. Programs might better teach students to handle emergency situations: swerving to avoid a collision or braking on wet roads, for example. Driver’s Education can further be extended to include a more realistic simulation using virtual reality or interactive technology where students are brought into situations of high risk in a more controlled environment. In this way, the driver will be better prepared to handle unexpected events and lower the chances of fatal accidents.

Distracted driving is still one of the major problems on the roads, with the highest number of incidents and deaths. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving alone took over 3,000 lives in the U.S. in 2019 alone. Driver’s Ed courses need to continue reinforcing the dangers of distractions-in particular, texting and phone use-while driving. Besides education, laws about distracted driving should be more strongly enforced. It can even make harsh punishments for drivers who practice texting or talking over the phone while driving, and use technologies like driving apps to monitor phone use while driving.

Advances in vehicle technology could save tens of thousands of lives. Many newer vehicles today come equipped with lifesaving features to help prevent crashes or reduce their severity, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Furthermore, there is vast room for incentivizing broad use through these technologies, and even the oldest vehicles will take into benefit. This will seriously cut down on fatalities while traveling in traffic. Similarly, tax credits for advancing features, which are purchased will make further use possible. Alternatively, retrofitting existing vehicles with new safety innovations will significantly reduce fatalities going forward.

Law enforcement in general also plays an enormous role in highway safety. Heavy traffic law enforcement regarding speed limits, the use of seatbelts, and driving under influence may prevent someone from acting unsafe in the first place. Sobriety checks should be made more frequent. Automated systems should be provided to detect infractions of the law. Penalties with regard to driving should also be tough, especially violations of repeat offenses.

The design of roads is another major contributor to safety: poorly designed roads, lack of proper signage, and lack of lighting can be some of the other contributors to accidents. It is the duty of a government and it must see to it that their infrastructure is well-maintained, modernized, and accentuated at least at places where the rate of risk is high. Moving to safer road design, including wide lanes with better lighting and clear signage, would minimize the propensity for accidents. Other infrastructure improvements, which reduce the chances of fatalities in non-motorized road users, include pedestrian crossings and bike lanes.

Driver’s Education has now become an effective tool, which, to a large extent, helps reduce traffic-related deaths as a result of acquiring the knowledge and driving skills highly required in driving safely. Driving principles such as rules for defensive driving, recognition of precarious driving, and incorporation of Graduated Driver Licensing into the laws contribute to low casualty rates. But since it remains one of the major causes of death due to traffic fatalities, much more needs to be considered to go further in road safety. Improved driver education, elimination of distracted driving, advancement of vehicle safety development, stricter enforcement of the nation’s traffic laws, and better road conditions: the key to reducing drive time fatalities. We are on our way, through ingenuity and collaboration across multiple industries, toward fewer deaths on the roads and safer drive conditions for all.