Name: Javier Julio Valdez
From: Apopka, Florida
Votes: 0
Most
people are excited when they get their license. It gives a whole new
sense of freedom that teenagers are getting their first taste of.
What most of them don’t realize is that they are getting into a
dangerous machine, not only to others, but to themselves. 2.4% of all
deaths are road accidents, and new drivers are often the most
hazardous. Drivers ed is important in reducing that risk. It
teaches about laws, safety precautions, vehicle maintenance and more.
Accidents are more likely to happen with people who haven’t taken
drivers ed than with people who have. Since drivers ed is so
accessible, it is a critical factor when trying to lower the number
of vehicular deaths that happened, which was around 40,000 in 2018
alone.
There
are many steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths
related to driving, but two of them are very important and I believe
it is crucial to address these. First of all, cell phone use accounts
for 1 in every 4 car accidents. Just by limiting the use of our
devices, we can get rid of a quarter of all car accidents. I can
think of many ways to solve this problem. One solution is to require
all manufacturers to install a safety feature that requires the
driver to place their phone in the glove box before putting the car
in drive. Another solution is that cell phone companies could revise
their software to restrict cell phone use while traveling at certain
speeds. These are just quick ideas that obviously need revision, but
I believe that they should be seriously considered.
I
have never been in a car accident myself but I have witnessed many,
and last year I even saw a driver hit a pedestrian. There have been
countless times in which I have been in close proximity to a car
accident, but I have been able to avoid any collisions with the
knowledge that I have gained through experience, guidance, and the
florida virtual school drivers ed course.
Steps
that others can take to stay safe on the road are keeping their phone
off, avoiding alcohol, and taking out headphones when driving. Also,
you can lead by example. When driving others, you can exhibit proper
road behavior such as checking your mirrors, following the speed
limit, overall safe and cautious driving. Another thing you could do
is share your experiences of other drivers making poor mistakes and
the consequences of those mistakes. I feel that doing this will make
other drivers more aware, and more cautious on the road.
