Driver Safety

Driver Safety

As the world grows, so do the number of drivers and deaths related to driving complications. Most driving cases can be easily prevented by taking simple precautions. Simple things like staying off cellular devices could easily reduce these statistics dramatically. A simple text message can change a person’s life forever. It has become such an issue in the United States that most states have created laws about using a device while on the road. Under most states, teenagers with permits are not allowed to use a cellular device until they gain their license. This is due to most deaths occurring between the ages of 15 to 20. Unexperienced drivers are more likely to result in crashes in America, making them more vulnerable to becoming another statistic.

As more drivers are thrown into the roads, we need to teach them defensive driving as well as taking this new responsibility seriously. When we are taught defensive driving, we learn about how to avoid distracted driving. Some forms of distracted driving can be changing the radio, devices, using navigation technology, or even eating. Every driver was taught about the three types of distracted driving which are visual, manual, and cognitive. The most common distracted driving we daily do are manual and visual due to either changing the radio or being on a cellular device. If a message or call is ever extremely important, it is always better to pull over to take care of the matter and continue to your destination once it is taken care of. Most people will not pull over because they think it’s a waste of time or a small message doesn’t need to be taken to an extreme. When I think about texting and driving, it is all about showing that you care for everyone’s lives on the road.

In my driving career, I have seen many accidents occur on the road. From people not looking to both ways to not paying attention, the most common crash that I have seen is people being rear ended on the highway due to texting or being on a phone. Even if people are “experienced” texters and drivers, people around you cannot anticipate your next move whether you swerve into another lane or get too close to another vehicle. People like to think that being on the far-right lane would be safer to text because people can just switch lanes to go around you. None of the lanes should give you the ability to text, and you should pay attention at all times. Each lane on the highway has its own category and where you should be.

As a new driver gains this new responsibility, we should teach them to respect every driver and be considerate of others to prevent the number of deaths related to driving. Encouraging new drivers to practice these skills will also reduce the number of teenage deaths while also protecting our loved ones. Hearing a heartbreaking phone call from the authorities is nothing a parent or loved one should ever experience.