Better Drivers, More Survivors

As
a result of life moving forward, young teens have the experience of
learning the rules of the road and how to drive a vehicle. This
chapter of life can be very exciting and scary all at once, for
having a driver’s license is one step towards being independent. In
today’s society, transportation is a must have for daily activities
such as shopping, going to work, or running errands. However, we must
be careful and aware along the way.

When
teenagers begin to acquire their driver’s license, it is highly
recommended for them to first go through a driver’s Ed program.
Taking this course will teach teenagers methods of hazard prevention,
how to drive under specific conditions, defensive driving techniques,
and how to avoid a car accident. Several studies have shown that
teenagers who do not take drivers Ed are more likely to get a traffic
ticket or be in a fatal injury accident. Studies also have shown that
one in five teens get their license without drivers Ed and 2,433
young drivers between sixteen and nineteen years of age were killed
in 2016 due to motor vehicle accidents.

Even
though these accidents can be brutal, there is always a reason as to
why the crash happens, whether it be because of one or both parties.
The four main causes of accidents are distracted driving, speeding,
intoxication, and reckless driving. Luckily, I have not encountered a
car crash, but my older brother has. He was driving on the highway
home from school on a rainy day, cautiously traveling at 50 mph when
an impatient driver decided to merge into the right lane, nearly
clipping my brother’s front bumper. He tried to slow down a bit but
lost control of the car due to the road conditions and slid off the
road, rolling once and spinning a full 360 degrees. The vehicle ended
up about 100 feet from the road and hitting a tree with the passenger
side door. Fortunately, he made it out of the car and was able to
find help.

In
addition to safety, my opinion is that every individual driver should
be careful, aware of their surroundings, drive defensively, obey the
law responsibly, and encourage others to do the same. The youth of
today should be taught such as well and put through driver’s Ed so
that fewer accidents occur. If we as a society could achieve safe
driving, the roads will be safer for future generations to come.
Hopefully they will learn safety from the resources available and the
example set before them.