Developing Safer Driving Habits

The true danger of driving is unknown to most drivers. Especially to someone who may have never been in an accident, driving can seem like a safe and convenient way to get around. It’s what everyone does. A lot of people handle a car as casually as they would walking- they are comfortable cruising around with one hand on the wheel, playing loud music, handling their phone, smoking or eating or drinking, talking to others, messing with their car settings; it takes only one of these distractions in a critical moment to cause an accident.

I myself came very close to an accident recently. Although in the moment I was practicing safe driving habits otherwise, I got distracted by something outside of my window and turned my head for a couple of seconds to look at it. When I looked back at the road in front of me, I saw a man bolting in front of my car who was running from the other side of the street, trying to make it across all four lanes. I slammed on my breaks just in time, stopping only about a foot away from him. If I was looking out of the window for just one more second, I would have hit this man and most certainly injured him badly. The very next day, the same thing happened with a dog running across the road. It is of the utmost importance for a driver to drive alert and aware of their surroundings at all times.

Experiences like these are very eye-opening to the dangerous reality of operating a vehicle. I believe that one way to make the roads a safer place is through driver’s education. Driver’s ed teaches new drivers everything they need to know about driving. The most valuable thing it taught me was how to understand road signs. Being able to quickly identify a merging lane, a pedestrian crosswalk, or any other warnings or changes about the road helps drivers make safer decisions and avoid a car wreck, in turn reducing the number of deaths. Driver’s ed also teaches drivers how to drive in different types of scenarios, like on a highway or in bad weather. It can be easy for an inexperienced driver to struggle under stressful circumstances such as these, so receiving prior education with a skilled instructor is crucial to preventing accidents on the road.

It is not only driver’s education that is an important step in reducing the number of accidents, but if the driver is practicing under a permit, it is the job of the guardians or friends of the new driver to teach them safe habits while monitoring their driving. There are currently many laws in place to create a safer driving environment, such as seatbelt wearing laws or no texting while driving laws, so educating drivers on these laws as well as creating new laws is another step to reducing accidents on the road. I believe education is the most important step we can take. If more people knew about the scary statistics surrounding driving and what can be done to prevent it, and if they spread that knowledge in return, it could cause people to be aware of their own bad habits and work to fix them.

I myself have never been in a car accident, but I have been close, and I know people who have been in one. Most people I know have one or multiple irresponsible driving habits. Much of it has to do with phone usage. I also know several people with bad passenger habits, such as always resting their feet on the dash and not wearing their seatbelts in the back seat, meaning if a crash were to occur, they would have a higher chance of injury or death. I’ve even had friends intentionally distract ME while driving. Showing me pictures and videos, tickling me, or even shoving snow into my coat are all things that have been done to me while driving, and on multiple occasions. Being a safe passenger is also an extremely important part of safe driving. Avoiding distractions such as the ones I listed while also being aware and pointing out potential hazards to the driver can help reduce car accidents as well.

There are multiple steps that I and others can take while driving to be a safer driver. Muting and putting away the phone, or at least getting a phone holder for the use of playing music or navigation, is one huge step. If you need to text, do it after you arrive or only at stoplights. If you feel tired while driving, especially during longer drives such as road trips, it is always ok to pull over and rest. I once had someone crash through my fence after falling asleep at the wheel, and it is certainly a cause of driving deaths. Wearing a seatbelt is also so important for safety. Driving under the influence is another huge safety concern and is a risk that should never be taken. Eating food while driving is also very distracting. It is important as well to pay close attention to your surroundings, including road signs, other vehicles, pedestrians, and stop lights, and to be able to act quickly and appropriately. Checking the rearview mirror and side mirrors regularly, and the blind spot when merging, can help you to be aware while driving. And of course, if you are a new driver, attending driver’s education is a great way to learn how to be safe.

Other great ways to spread awareness of driving habits are through educational advertisements on social media. Teens and young adults tend to be frequent users of social media, and for me and many others, coming across a personal story of a car accident can be jarring, and it is the reality check that some people need about driving. Spreading the statistics on car accidents and deaths help people understand how common accidents really are, and that they can happen to anyone at any time, so it is important to pay attention at the wheel for the sake of you, your passengers, and the people in the other car. I have found that videos that are not only personal recounts of an accident, but are describing the outcomes of other’s awful crashes, or are recordings of 911 calls after a vehicle crash, are similarly popular, and create a space for people to discuss the importance of preventing car crashes.

Taking initiative to practice driving safely, spreading awareness about distracted driving and safer alternatives while driving, and attending driver’s ed are all steps we can take towards safer roadways. Making these changes can one day mean the difference between life or death on the road.