Safe Driving is a Mindset

Movement is incredibly important for a society or people group. From the first nomadic tribes to the modern day, entire cultures have relied upon some form of transportation to ease their lives. For thousands of years, horses were the primary mode of transportation, however with more recent technological innovations, such as the steam engine, humanity was and is able to transport themselves and goods long distances. In the last century, the transportation industry has shifted from railroads to cars. For the individual, a car is a means of freedom and transportation, and for an organization, it is a means of transporting goods or commodities across long distances to potential buyers.

One of the largest causes of fatalities in the United States is vehicle-related accidents. Whether on the water, road, or in the sky, anyone wishing to operate a motor-powered vehicle must be properly educated and licensed to ensure their safety and the safety of their fellow citizens. When it comes to operating a land-based motor vehicle, proper education and training is incredibly important. As the number of vehicular-accident related casualties rises, it is becoming increasingly clear that educating new and practiced drivers is incredibly important to stem and then lower the number of traffic fatalities in the states.

Since the early twentieth century cars have become increasingly easier to produce and commonplace household utilities. Like Henry Ford with his Model T automobile, numerous car manufacturers have begun companies to produce automobiles for a variety of everyday necessities: shipping, transportation, public transit, and entertainment. As more vehicles are produced, nations must also endeavor to create better infrastructure to support the mass flow of traffic. Along with better infrastructure, countries across the world have implemented required safety accommodations to protect the lives of their citizens who choose to travel. Besides the accessories inside of a vehicle such as seatbelts and airbags, some countries have also passed laws and regulations designed to provide safer infrastructure and stronger vehicles. Germany, for example, is infamous for the Autobahn, a highway spanning the nation that has no speed limits. Because of the danger, German vehicles are designed to withstand high speeds and more frequent use. Once every four years, German citizens may purchase a new vehicle as a tax write off. This ensures that every vehicle on the Autobahn is new and designed for the stress. Not only are the vehicles designed with safety in mind, but the Autobahn itself is designed for maximum safety. Laws prohibit the building of advertising signs, gas stations are on exits, and when the highway system passes through a city, high walls are erected to make sure there are no distractions. German drivers must also be educated properly for the Autobahn, and there are behavioral traditions and customs that protect the drivers and their passengers. Mr. Maus, a German citizen, claims that a German driver could tell you the make, model, and year of the vehicles around him. He also says that the locals tend to remain a certain distance from the car in front of them, depending on the speed. German vehicle inspections happen yearly and are incredibly detailed and specific. The inspectors take their job seriously, as a flaw in a vehicle could result in the deaths of many. In the states, we could implement better teaching methods, such as the German traditions and customs, to further educate our new drivers, along with implementing regulations on vehicle age and efficiency.

When it comes to the individuals on the road, however, caution and care are very important. Individuals who wish to drive must know traffic laws along with the capabilities of their car or motor-powered vehicle. It is up to the individual, also, to ensure that their vehicle is properly maintained for the stress of driving, and that all the necessary precautions have been taken. Accidents happen, however, and it is also important to know how to react in any given situation. Whether one collides with another vehicle or a stationary object, one must remember the lessons they were taught in their education and apply them, all while remaining calm. It is up to American citizens to keep the roads safe and secure, and to protect all the lives involved, both on the road and off. When a collision happens, it not only affects the drivers, but also their passengers and close contacts. A vehicular fatality can send families reeling, and leave them with an aching hole where their loved one used to be. The families and friends are left to deal with the grief of the loss of a loved one for the rest of their lives. Students and new drivers should be well-aware that they are in control of a weapon capable of ending or ruining countless lives, and be prepared to exercise caution and safe driving on the roads of America.