The Road to a Better Future

“If you see him drink anything, don’t ever get into the car with him.” My mother said to me when I was barely old enough to even remember before I left for the bowling alley with my father. But still, her words linger in the back of my mind to this day as this wasn’t just one singular occasion.

My father was a truck driver yet an alcoholic. This is an ironic and unfortunate pairing and unfortunately, he lost his job to a multitude of DUIs, ultimately leading to a lifetime of financial hardship. However, my mom had always instilled in me to never let anyone drink and drive. Whether it was my dad or someone driving me home from a party in high school, she was aware of how sometimes teenagers and even adults make “stupid” decisions and did her best to inform me of the possibilities as well as introduce her own version of a harm reduction approach by letting me know that even though she didn’t want my friends or me to drink, that if we did, we could always call her for a ride home.

Driving is a helpful way to get individuals from place to place but there are also risks when you get behind the wheel. According to DmvEdu.org, they state, “In America, an average of 34,000 people die each year as a result of driving. This is more people who have died in one year as a result of driving than the total number of American soldiers who have died from war in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.” In order to reduce the number of deaths, injuries, and accidents we need to start somewhere. Education about driving is very important to reducing these things. If individuals are unaware of driving safety they have no way to know about the consequences unless they experience them. Education can be at school, within one’s home, or even in community programs. These driving education programs can address subjects such as phone usage while driving, speeding, basic traffic laws, and more. However, the earlier one starts the more likely these things can be avoided.

When it comes to what steps can be taken to reduce motor vehicle accidents, I think it’s important to acknowledge the human brain and how risky behaviors are a natural part of our brain’s development. Especially, when we look at the age one is able to get a driver’s license. This is why starting driving education young is vital. According to the “Journal of Transport and Health” they state, “Young driver education commonly instructs novices to leave a 2-3s gap to the vehicle ahead to leave more space and time to react should a hazard present. This can require lowering speed and widens the forward view to better scan for hazards. Ensuring attention to vigilant scanning for hazards is also commonly included in driver education, particularly with the advent of hazard perception testing for licensure.” This goes back to the harm reduction model that my mother taught me as a child. If in driving education one just says “don’t drink and drive” or “don’t speed” without acknowledging the consequences, the “why,” or strategies to stay safe then it might go in one ear and out of the other for some individuals.

Another important step is acknowledging that accidents are going to happen and there should be a focus on not only preventing accidents but how to react and drive if one is put in an unsafe situation. Focusing on strategies to prevent accidents or how to be safer when you are in one would be the harm reduction model rather than an abstinence model would demonstrate not driving at all or not speeding ever.

When it comes to myself, I experience a lot of driving anxiety. I got my permit at eighteen and I got my license at twenty-one. While all of my friends were already several years into having theirs. I was scared of driving and scared to admit it. Anxiety while driving can also lead to accidents even though I feel confident in my own driving abilities, other drivers make me nervous. However, I have come to realize that the more I am on the road the more comfortable I am becoming. So my next steps are to take it slow and drive places I am comfortable until I feel like I am ready. Another way that I can push for the roads to be safer is by holding my friends and family accountable. If I notice something unsafe I should speak up about it and open up the floor for conversation. It shouldn’t be taboo to talk about it. I need to get out of my own head and comfort zone of just not getting in the car with unsafe drivers but instead encourage them to be responsible and safe drivers not just for my safety but for theirs and for others.