Responsibility Behind the Wheel

Driving is a helpful modern tool used by millions of people to benefit society. People drive to work, school, stores, and countless other places. However, much like many great tools in society, driving also has its dangers. Driving, if not done responsibly, quickly becomes more of a danger than an aid to society. So many unnecessary deaths occur due to irresponsible driving. It is the job of every driver to make sure that they are driving safely and responsibly to reduce the number of driving-related deaths. Driver’s education is one of many ways to ensure road safety. Driver’s education is important because it enables drivers to arrive at their destinations safely and confidently. With the aid of driver’s education, drivers can not only navigate the roads with ease but also ensure everyone gets to their destinations safely. Some ways one can become a safer driver are to always pay attention while driving, to gain experience and knowledge of defensive driving, and to make vigilant and responsible decisions while on the road.

The number of deaths related to driving can be greatly reduced by taking simple steps such as paying more attention while driving, taking defensive driving classes, and always staying vigilant while on the road. To pay more attention while driving one must make sure they are not multitasking and not on their phone unnecessarily. To ensure one is not multitasking, good time management is required. This includes making sure one wakes up early enough so not to be eating breakfast or doing hair or makeup in the car on the way to school or work. Another way to ensure one’s own safety, as well as the safety of other drivers on the road, is by holding passengers accountable. If one is driving others, it is important to make sure there are enough seatbelts for everyone, and that everyone wears them. Make sure passengers do not get too distracting to the driver, such as talking too loudly or showing the driver things on their phone. Similarly, it is important for the driver not to be on their phone unnecessarily. Many people say it is smart to put your phone in the trunk when driving, however I personally do not think this is the wisest option. In the event of an emergency, I think one should always have their phone within reach in case they need to call for help. No one wants to be stranded on the side of a road at night and out of their car digging in their trunk trying to find their phone to call for help. Not only is this inconvenient, but it is also unsafe. Therefore, one should always keep a cellphone within arm’s reach while driving. But having your phone in the front seat with you comes with the responsibility of not being on it. So many times, I have been tempted to text someone back, or change the song, all because my phone was in the front seat with me. However, for one’s own safety, as well as the safety of other drivers, discipline must be exercised. When I drive, I always try to put my phone in the door cupholder by my feet so that in the event of an emergency, I can get to my phone quickly, but it is not a distraction to me as I drive. Operating a car is a huge responsibility and it must be taken seriously if one is going to make a difference in reducing the number of driving-related deaths.

Another way to reduce deaths on the road is to become educated on the topic of defensive driving. This kind of knowledge not only could save your own life someday but could save the lives of others as well. For me this knowledge came from taking a defensive driving course offered by Ford. This course gave me hands-on experience which made me feel more confident behind the wheel. The course taught me about average reaction times and how my reaction time had to be faster than average if I was going to be a safe driver. They taught me how to safely swerve to avoid a collision and what to do in the event of hydroplaning. The Ford defensive driving course placed a huge emphasis on the affect alcohol has on driving. One of the exercises I did included driving on an obstacle course while wearing goggles designed to emulate the vision of someone having consumed the legal limit of alcohol. Even with the legal limit, the road was hard to see, and distances became hard to gauge. I was uncertain where to turn and where to stop. Reading road signs also became difficult. It became clear to me that driving with any amount of alcohol in your system is unwise and should never be done by responsible drivers. This defensive driving class not only made me a more confident driver but also made me a more responsible driver.

I often wonder how many wrecks I have avoided because I took that defensive driving course, or because I refused to be on my phone, or because I chose to stop at that yellow light. Yet another excellent way to avoid a car crash is to use caution when going through yellow lights. I experienced this first-hand after being in a car wreck in 2016. My father was driving my sister and I home after picking us up from our grandparents’ house. It was around 5:30, the time most people were getting off work, so traffic was heavy. We were going through the intersection and our light was green, hers was a flashing yellow. She didn’t see the black ‘98 ford truck coming towards her until it was too late. I heard the squealing of tires as my dad slammed on the brakes. From the backseat I craned my neck just in time to see a white car stopped in the middle of the intersection. My dad swerved to avoid a full-on collision, but a wreck was inevitable. Our truck smashed the front end of her car. We went up on the curb, but her car got spun around. Me, my sister, and my dad were all fine. The lady in the white car was fine as well, although she did get taken to the hospital and her car was totaled. Thankfully everything turned out fine, but that entire frightening experience could have all been avoided had she taken the time to stop and look for cars at the flashing yellow light.

Driving is a very beneficial tool as it takes people to their destination quickly and efficiently. However, driving, when done irresponsibly, can become very dangerous and more of a threat than a tool. This is why driver education is important in reducing the number of deaths on the road. By informing drivers how to drive more responsibly and encouraging them to make responsible, disciplined decisions when on the road, driver education reduces the total number of car-related deaths. In conclusion, some simple ways to be a better and safer driver include not being distracted by phones or passengers when driving, gaining experience and knowledge in defensive driving, and making responsible and wise decisions such as not texting, stopping at red lights, and not drinking and driving. By embracing the responsibility that comes with getting behind the wheel and by adhering to safe-driving policies, we can together steer our society to one where driving-related fatalities are greatly reduced, and roads are made safer for everyone.