Making safer roads

Our roadways can be hazardous today. Drivers need to be well-informed and prepared to ensure their safety and that of others. Distracted driving is the number one cause of accidents on our roadways today. This is unacceptable because so many people have lost their lives or loved ones just because somebody wasn’t paying attention. Driver education is extremely important in helping to reduce this risk and make our roadways safer.

In middle school, I remember one specific example that stuck with me. It was not our driver’s education program specifically, but it was an example the local police department put together to show the driver’s Education class the dangers of driving. They had just a vehicle seat on a small ramp that would accelerate up to 5 mph before coming to an instant stop. The demonstration was to show how violent a crash can be, even at low speeds. When I watched it happen, it did not look like that big of a deal, but I realized how big it was once I got into it and experienced it. Even though it did not feel like I was going that fast once I hit the end, the collision completely jarred me, even though I had the seatbelt on. The experience definitely helped to show me how bad a real accident could actually be at full speed. There was also another demonstration I remember left an impact, showing how far a vehicle could travel in the time it took to type one text. I think that that is something many people do not realize when they take that risk. I myself have been fortunate enough to have never been in an accident. But I have seen firsthand the devastating effects it can have on a person or family. I have had several good friends who have been in car accidents, most of which have been fortunate enough not to have any severe injuries, but not all of them were as lucky. I had a classmate Pass away a few summers ago due to reckless behavior while driving. I also have a very good older friend who was in a car accident in college that Left him stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

This is why I believe it should be mandatory for every person to go through driver’s ed before getting their first driver’s license. Our driver’s Ed program was sponsored by the school, but it was still optional. These lessons have stuck with me throughout the entire time. I have been driving, and I think if everyone was required to do it, it could make the roads a lot safer. This would be as simple as making a mandatory class in school so that all kids getting a learner’s permit would automatically have their driver’s ed.

I believe another way to make our Roads safer for everyone would be to implement speeding cameras. Speeding is the second most significant cause of fatal accidents. Many people speed on our Highways and Interstates because of the lack of speech checks or consequences.I think implementing speed cameras would significantly reduce the number of people who take the risk of speeding.

The next biggest factor in fatal crashes is alcohol or drugs. Driving under the influence is a major problem in the United States, especially at night. Often, DUIs are issued at night after the bars close, and people drive home after drinking. I think the bars should be required to have a transportation system for those who are not able to get home or do not have a DD. This would make it less, likely for people to undergo the risk of driving under the influence. Sadly, in many cases, it is not the truck driver that is killed or injured. It is the person the wreck hit. This is due to the alcohol relaxing the body and making the drunk driver more likely to survive.

Overall, the drivers Ed program is a very important tool to ensure safety on our roadways. If everyone was required to go through A driver education course we could greatly Reduce the risks on our roads. Along with more safety measures to reduce the amount of distraction, driving, speeding, and driving under the influence, we should make sure that our public roads and highways are no longer a place to fear. I know that my experiences Have impacted my driving habits and helped ensure my safety in the real world. I hope that everyone can have the chance to travel safely.