Name: Jaylon Keshawn Bohanon
From: North Little Rock, Arkansas
Votes: 0
Jaylon
Bohanon
Driver
Education Initiative Award
May
22, 2019
Teaching
Teens to Drive Can Save Lives
Driving
is every teenager’s dream. It is a mark of freedom and
responsibility. However, that freedom comes at a cost. According to
EndDD (End Distracted Driving) 37,461 lives were lost on U.S. roads
in 2016, an increase of 5.6% from 2015. These problems can range from
the interference of distractions in three types: manual, visual and
cognitive. One of the important teachings of drivers ed in
reducing the number of deaths is teaching them self control. The
obsession centered around teenage accidents are their cell phones. If
they are taught to manage their self-control once on the road, the
number of accidentss can be greatly reduced. It is not enough to tell
them to not be on their phones, teaching them appropriate driving
behaviors and regulating how and when to use their phone can be
benefitial in helping teens be more equipped for the road.
The
steps that can be taken to reduce that number is to give students
access to driving courses. Many schools do not have the funding to
offer a drivers course class. Newer drivers are often taught amateur
by their parents or guardians. They may not know how to properly
teach them with the new advanced world we live in. It is a fact that
many young people see their parents on the phone while driving. Most
parents or guardians do not have the time or extra money to pay for
drivers courses. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 2017 Traffic
Safety Culture Index, March 2018, reveals that drivers have a “do
as I say, not as I do” attitude. Most drivers (87.5%) perceive
that distracted drivers are a bigger problem today than in past
years. Moreover, distracted driving outpaced all other issues as a
growing concern. It was followed by traffic congestion at 74.5%,
aggressive drivers at 68.1%, drivers using drugs at 54.9% and drunk
driving at 43.4%. Despite those feelings, 45% read a text and 34%
sent a text in the 30 days prior to the survey.
I
have never personally been in an accident or had anyone I know in
one. However, my parents do partake in unsafe driving methods.
Texting, eating, and drinking is just a few of the things I’ve
listed. They have been doing these things since I started paying
attention to how they drive. I always try to advise them to not do
that or that may not be the safest thing to do. Their response is
always the same, “do as I say, not as I do.” Luckily I am one of
the few people who actually take those kinds of behaviors and adds
them to a list of things of not to do. There are some with a
mentality of, “since my mom/ dad does it, it’s okay that I do it
too.” That kind of mentality can be taken care of if there were
more accessible, professional people to teach them.
Steps
that I can take to become a better driver is to be more assertive
behind the wheel. I’m still in a timid phase of driving, though I
am a cautious driver. I am confident in my defensive driving
techniques and I am sure that many of my friends and family can
benefit from learning defensive driving. Steps such as: Think safety
first, being aware of your surroundings, not depend on other drivers,
following the 3- to 4-second rule, keeping your speed down, and
cutting out distractions are methods I use to ensure that my driving
not only keeps me safe but other people as well.
