Name: Jasmin Fair
From: Memphis, Tennessee
Votes: 0
Proceed
With Caution: Road Fatalities Ahead
Driving
is something that almost every American will have to do at some point
in their life. Regardless of if we have to drive across town, or just
down the street, we should always practice safe driving skills. An
accident could happen at any time. It is our civic duty to drive for
our own individual safety, and for the safety of the drivers we share
the road with. There are things we can do to ensure this.
Understanding
the importance of drivers ed, and how it can reduce the
number of driving related deaths is very important. The purpose of
drivers ed is for new drivers to get more familiar and
comfortable with the rules of the road. According to the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 1578 fatalities occurred
at controlled intersections. About 51% of those crashes were caused
by people running red lights, and about 29% of those crashes were
caused by people failing to yield the right-of-way to traffic.
Drivers ed alone does not prevent wrecks, but taking the
skills and precautions taught during the course and applying them
when driving will definitely help.
People
can take steps to reduce the number of deaths related to driving by
obeying the traffic regulations. Road regulations such as speed
limits, yield signs, pedestrian signs, etc. are made to keep everyone
on the road safe. Exceeding the speed limit can put not only the
driver’s life at risk, but the other drivers on the road as well.
Drivers should get into the mindset that when they are driving, they
are driving for everyone around them. This includes driving at a safe
distance behind other drivers, not running drivers off the road, and
not participating in potentially dangerous driving habits.
Personally,
I have been in the car with a friend who was driving very
irresponsibly. We were in a hurry to get to a football game, so she
driving somewhat recklessly. She was waiting on a side street, and
had to cross three lanes of traffic to get to the other side of the
street. Instead of yielding the right-of-way to traffic, she darted
out into the street, and nearly caused what would have been a fatal
car wreck. The car would have hit us from the driver’s side at, at
least 65 mph.
One
step people can take to help others become safe drivers is to speak
up. For instance if a person is in the car with someone who is
driving reckless, they should speak up and encourage them to stop. A
step we can all take is be mindful of the safety of every individual
on the road. People should also take it upon themselves to take
drivers ed. Keep in mind passing the driving portion of the
driver’s test does not mean that the person is a good driver,
practicing safe driving does.
