Driving Safety

Driving is a common necessity for the average American today. As of 2023, 92% of Americans have a vehicle. In fact, an article states “73% of American commuters use their own car to move between home and work”.  Driving is an important asset to modern individuals, making it important to drive safely.

Defensive driving is a technique used for protecting oneself from other drivers. This relies on hoping for the best scenario while expecting the worst. The benefits of defensive driving include reducing accidents, enhancing driving skills, and discounts on insurance costs. As a driver, you must partake in safety and accident prevention while anticipating potential hazards. Examples of hazards include road conditions, weather conditions, other drivers, pedestrians, and construction zones. Along with anticipating hazards, it is important to also stay calm in the event of an accident. Staying calm and under control is the best way to avoid dangers in the event of an accident as it will ensure focus, reactivity, and awareness.

Driver education is essential for teaching new drivers the techniques and safety practices that come with driving. Lessons show the dangers of speeding, driving under the influence, and reckless driving. The number one form of accident comes from rear-end collisions, whether it be from reckless or distracted driving. In addition, these lessons provide anticipation for new drivers. Knowledge of these situations helps create a safer environment on the road and reduce the number of fatal accidents. As a developing driver, reading signs is very important as it provides a map of your future surroundings. However, it doesn’t provide situational events such as car collisions. In this case, it is important to anticipate as well as being attentive and adapting to ever-changing situations.

Common mistakes as a developing driver range from poor speed management to ignoring road signs and potential risks. Driving requires a lot of multi-tasking abilities and involves keeping track of your surroundings while adjusting your speed. Experience is essential for driving and is why learning in a safe environment is important. Vacant parking lots as well as small neighborhood roads are a great place to practice maintaining speed, braking habits, turning, and parking. One of the more confusing aspects of driving is yield and right-of-way. It is important to learn each scenario before partaking on any roads.

Distracted driving is the number one cause of accidents with over 80% of accidents occurring from a distracted driver. Studies and research show that distracted driving greatly decreases reaction time and greatly increases the risk of a crash. An article states, “Drivers with their attention on the road reacted in one to two seconds” while on the other hand “while texting and driving, they reacted in three to four seconds”. This shows that being distracted while driving can nearly double the time it takes to react to any potential hazards or events.

Fines and suspensions vary depending on the state. Most states use a point-based system where each charge varies in points and a certain number of points adds up to a license suspension. Reckless driving and aggressive driving are paired with an immediate license suspension while the combination of speeding and other traffic violations adds up to a license suspension. A speeding ticket can range from $75 to $300. Reckless driving has a fine of up to $750 and up to 4 months in jail while aggressive driving has fines up to $2,500 with up to 6 months in jail. Along with these charges include a court case in which failure to appear in court will increase the fines as well as potentially include a license suspension.

Currently, vehicle accidents are the leading cause of deaths in the United States. In 2022, motor vehicle crashes summed up to 470 billion dollars in damage, along with over 45,000 deaths from motor vehicles alone. Steps to reduce the number of fatal accidents include stricter traffic laws; improvement of roads, pedestrian crosswalks and lighting; improvement of vehicle safety features; and encouraging public transportation. Speeding is commonly correlated with being late whether it be to a job or an event. Improvements on time management may directly affect the necessity for speeding, and overall, improve safety conditions on the road.

Improving safety conditions on the road starts with oneself. When driving, a person should avoid distractions such as mobile devices, obey traffic rules, maintain a level head and never drive under the influence. When driving with family members or friends, it is important to set a good example as well as encouraging others to drive safely. As a driver, anticipate potential hazards and always be attentive.