A Drive to Remember

Properly educating drivers of any motor vehicle is essential to the safety of all other passengers, drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike. The lack of proper education as a driver can and will lead to the death of loved ones sending; innocent people will be rushed to the hospital, as well as being tasked with covering the enormous costs of vehicular and health damages. Harmful effects such as these can be easily avoided as all drivers subject themselves to not only understanding traffic laws, but the repercussions of negligent driving. This education should not only be a requirement for all prospective drivers but should be continued on a yearly basis even to those who have been drivers for years.

For all prospective drivers, driver’s education should be at the forefront of their minds. Understanding that their ability to safely navigate the roads is critical for their own well-being, as well as others’. In addition to being required to learn about how to properly drive, providing subjective information could more effectively highlight what is at stake as a driver. For example, providing statistics such as those listed in the details of this application; there are 35,000 people who are killed each year in motor-related accidents. For myself, this statistic has already made me take extra precautions and look for areas of my driving in which I have become too relaxed. With teenagers in mind as the target demographic for prospective drivers, hearing stories by individuals who have personally been affected by traffic-related incidents will hopefully encourage them to not take lightly their responsibility to be an alert and aware driver. In addition to teenagers being required to log a certain number of driving hours before obtaining their license, they could also be required to briefly interview someone who has suffered some sort of loss due to driving. Whether this individual was the cause of an accident, or was personally harmed in some way, this information would serve as a reminder of the people’s lives that are at stake.

Currently, across all 50 states, it is required to renew one’s license every four to eight years. While it is not necessary to reduce this number down to every one or two years, it could be useful to require all drivers to complete some sort of assessment that gauges their safety as a driver. This would serve as a reminder to them of the rules of the road, as well as an opportunity to assess which of their driving habits should be continued, changed, or removed entirely. This yearly or bi-annual assessment, similarly to prospective drivers, could include a brief interview of someone who has been harmed in some way by an accident. Human emotion may serve as a stronger reminder to drive safely than any other method.

I am very passionate about this topic, because I have had people who have been affected by motor accidents. It is painful to hear about the damage that can be done in a matter of seconds. There is someone currently attending my university who has been greatly affected by a drunk driver. One night, as she was driving through a canyon late at night, a drunk driver came speeding around the windy road and pushed her off the road and further into the canyon. It took close to an hour before any first responders could get to her. Everyone who was in the car with her unfortunately passed away. As for her, she is now paralyzed from the waist down. She is now an advocate for safe driving and very openly shares her experience with anyone who is curious. It is because of experiences such as these that I try to correct others’ driving habits whenever I can. It hurts to hear from friends or family who think it is a badge of honor to text and drive or go 40 miles above the speed limit whenever possible. Of course, I try to correct them respectfully, but my purpose is to provide the same insight that could come from yearly interviews with victims of car accidents.

One thing that has helped me be a better driver, has been creating an accountability system. Through my car insurance provider, I am assessed yearly on my driving habits. I am given a score based out of five stars as well as provided with recommendations of how to improve my driving in the future. Not only is this beneficial in reducing my insurance costs, but it serves as a frequent reminder of specific ways in which I can improve.

It is essential to be properly educated before taking to the roads. If drivers are not effectively educated, everyone will be at a greater risk of being involved in a car accident. By providing detailed and frequent education, these risks can be greatly reduced. Remembering how drastically we can affect peoples’ lives with reckless driving can hopefully serve as a reminder to all to drive safely.