Safer Driving Through Schools

Sharing the road is a more significant responsibility than most may think. Attention and coordination are critical to safety on the road, yet many car crashes result from those failures each year, especially due to drinking or texting while driving. Reckless road habits are a growing concern that must be combated. Schools could play a pivotal role in shaping responsible road users. They are the best places to instill the values of safe driving, as schools significantly shape young behaviors and attitudes. In school, students could expand their driving knowledge, learn about the psychological effects of bad road habits, reduce their use of technology while driving, and further their learning by integrating road safety into subjects such as Health and English. Road safety education must be a priority in schools, empowering students to take on the responsibility of keeping our roads safe.

There are many reasons why people text while driving, but many believe the main reason is impatience. It is a habit to respond to someone immediately, but it is dangerous while driving. The immediate need to answer is due to the convenience of responding most of the time while not in a car. Taking even a glimpse off the road can cause miscoordination with hands on the wheel, causing the vehicle to deviate from the middle of the lane. Due to the danger of texting and driving, Michigan has made using their phone while driving illegal. If caught, the driver could be punished with a fine, community service, or even jail time. This law is a fundamental and excellent reinforcer for lessening texting while driving. Distracted driving is an ongoing issue, but this issue has lessened thanks to this Michigan law. Other states have thankfully implemented similar laws. Unfortunately, sometimes, a punishment does not stop a behavior. When one is punished for doing something they did not know was wrong, they will keep performing the behavior. An excellent way to lessen impatience is to understand the consequences of maintaining the bad habit of texting and driving.

I have been in a car accident, but luckily, it was not major. I was pulling out of my high school parking spot when my sister in the passenger seat suddenly yelled, “Stop, stop!” As I hit the brake, a car hit the front right of my car. My heart dropped; I had never been in a car accident before. What was worse was that it was my friend’s stepmother and my birthday. I was so scared that my parents would be mad at me. A few kids in school asked me if I was in a car accident, and I was mortified. However, my parents were not mad at me; it was the other driver’s fault. This has been sorted out, but I am still afraid of someday being in a worse car accident.

Teenagers are more likely to be involved in road accidents than any other age. This is frequently because they lack experience, drive too fast, and use technology while driving. Intoxication has a significant impact on car crashes as well. Schools can help lessen destructive road behaviors by teaching students safe driving techniques and informing them about the consequences of not being safe on the road. Habits learned as kids can be hard to break as adults, and teaching kids safe habits while driving, biking, or walking on the road in school can prevent them from starting. There must be more than outside driving lessons for teens to learn how to drive safely and the consequences of not doing so. More than a pamphlet and watching videos are required to teach students how to drive or learn about road safety. Places where young people can be more self-aware will reduce car crashes. In school, students will better retain and understand the rules of the road in a place of learning rather than on a computer or in an unfamiliar place.

Many young drivers don’t realize the psychological and emotional effects of reckless driving. Students may feel pressured to drive recklessly to have fun with their friends. Most may not realize the effect car crashes can have on others. Crashes kill and traumatize. Not only will the family and friends of a car crash victim have to grieve their loved one, but doctors and nurses have to try to keep them alive. Many medical professionals and law enforcement find it challenging to forget the trauma a person can endure because of a car crash. The consequences of reckless driving affect not only the driver and the other car but also medical professionals, law enforcement, and, most importantly, family and friends. Through class discussion, students can learn strategies to resist peer pressure and make safer choices. Students can also be aware of the extended effects of impaired driving behaviors and avoid doing so. Covering the psychological aspects of risky road behaviors is essential for keeping the road safe.

Schools can begin teaching teens how to drive safely using assemblies and presentations. Early education can influence students’ conduct now and in the future when they are pedestrians and drivers. Most people know that car crashes can occur on the road, but more than merely informing students of the consequences is needed. Personal stories, experiences, and statistical facts are powerful tools that can deeply engage students and help them realize the dangers of reckless driving. Another option is to include road safety in the school lessons. For example, the consequences of technology, alcohol, and drug use on impaired driving can be covered in greater detail in health classes. English classes could also incorporate books and essays on the importance of safe driving and the consequences of not following road safety laws. Incorporating road safety into the classroom would offer relevant information on road safety beyond assemblies and presentations.

Reckless driving and car crashes are a growing societal concern, especially drinking while driving. Because schools are pivotal education centers, they should be used to help teach road safety. Not only could students learn to understand road safety, but they also could expand their emotional intelligence by looking out for others. Incorporating road safety would be simple to teach in school curricula, expanding from outside presentations or brief learning periods. Knowledge of improved road safety and keeping the road a safe place to travel starts in schools and is the most effective approach to promoting safe driving practices for all road users.