A Path to Safer Roads

Imagine a world without drivers’ education, and consider the number of people around us who drive a car every day. Think about how many more deaths would be caused, or even if we would be driving at all if this education did not exist. Driving is a privilege; a privilege we earn through the hours we spend in a drivers’ education classroom. Without this education on the safety of driving, this would be an increasingly problematic and dangerous country to live in. One significant reason for learning the rules of the road is so that we may understand how to drive properly as a community to ensure the safety of passengers and other drivers. According to the DmvEdu.org website, there was approximately 34,000 deaths resulting from motor vehicles each year in the United States. This statistic proves the dangers of this privilege. Considering these deaths occurred even when the drivers’ education is required in our country, we must also understand that drivers’ education extends beyond the classroom and becomes each person’s individual responsibility. If the number of deaths is this significant now, how much higher would it be if there was no driver education at all? Luckily, we don’t have to face this possibility, but we must keep ourselves and those around us accountable to decrease accidents and fatalities.

For the most part, people know how to drive properly. They know that they must follow the traffic rules and obey the laws, but there are times when people forget to recall or practice what they were taught. Some common examples of careless driving include driving under the influence, using a phone, and creating unnecessary distractions both as a driver and passenger. There is no way one single person can prevent all of these problems, but each person can take personal accountability for their own driving habits. Together, by promoting these proposed solutions we can create change toward a safer driving experience for all. A good place to start with that accountability is the issue of driving under the influence.

Driving under the influence is a major problem here in the United States. Although there are not many things that we can do to prevent people from consuming alcohol, one way we can discourage people who are intoxicated from staying on the road is to have more frequent DUI checkpoints. DUI checkpoints are set up so that our police officers can observe drivers, especially in the later hours of the night, ensuring that they are driving safely and legally. This solution creates a greater inconvenience for drunk drivers, causing people to being held accountable for how much they consume before driving. Adding more of these checkpoints could presumably cut the percentage of drunk drivers by removing the higher risk individuals from the road. This precaution not only ensures the safety of unsuspecting drivers, but also those who would make the mistake of getting behind the wheel while intoxicated. Intoxicated driving is an obvious issue but another is phone use while driving.

Another preventable distraction is the use of phones while driving. A solution to this problem can include better enforcement of laws that forbid a driver to physically touch their phone as they drive. Considering this law already exists and people still use their phones while driving, it is uncertain if this can ultimately solve this problem altogether; nevertheless, there’s no harm in trying. I propose a mandate to use hands- free phone service as one drives and that every new vehicle come equipped with blue tooth technology. This would allow drivers to direct their attention to the road while driving. These solutions are not guaranteed to reduce the number of deaths in motor vehicles, but are some steps that can be taken to begin the process of creating safer roads.

Although I am fortunate enough to have not been involved in any type of car accident, my family members have been in several, making me more aware of the dangers on the road. One of those accidents involved a high school student driving from school under the influence of alcohol. When I was a sophomore in high school, I attended softball practice where I was pulled aside by my coach. Unaware of what had just happened, he informed me that my mom, sister, and my two nieces had just been involved in a hit-and-run car accident, while picking up my sister from school. I immediately grew nervous. Fortunately, no one was injured, but if the circumstances had been different, the outcome may have involved a fatality. This and many less serious accidents that my family members have experienced were all caused by others driving irresponsibly. I am lucky enough to be in a family that values safe and responsible driving. These experiences have taught me to take driving seriously by ensuring I and others I drive with are following the rules of the road and driving safely.

Some of the ways I can contribute to safety on the road is by following the rules of the road, being aware of my surroundings, and remembering the consequences of taking advantage of this privilege. The only person that can truly stop an unnecessary accident is the driver; nevertheless, there are some ways I can aid the situation as a passenger. The best way to ensure my safety as a passenger and encourage safer driving among others is to avoid being a distraction, hold my friends and family accountable, and, if necessary, step in to be a designated driver.

It is important to remember that each of us plays a vital role in road safety. Our personal actions in a vehicle not only affects our safety but the safety of those around us. By valuing the importance of driver’s education, following common traffic rules, and using the solutions we have to prevent accidents, we can eventually reduce the number of deaths related to driving, making our roadways a safer place.