The Importance of Driver Safety

Max Collins

November 3, 2020

The Importance of Driver Safety

Shocked and sick to my stomach: That was my feeling when I learned that a classmate of mine was killed in a car crash this past summer. Not only did it affect me, but it affected the whole community and school as everyone was saddened by his sudden passing. That feeling has become way too familiar for other families who have seen their friends and family pass away due to unsafe driving. To help prevent this reality, we must educate ourselves on one thing: driver safety.

Today, driver safety is essential for all drivers. Whether it be for teens who just got their license or people who have been driving for decades, everyone can benefit from simple rules of something many people do everyday. Those daily rules could include limiting distractions like loud music, making sure to always wear a seatbelt, not grabbing your phone to answer a text, or even maintaining a safe distance between your car and the car in front of you in case they break at a moment’s notice. While the list could go on and on on how to make your drive from one destination to the next safer, all drivers must obey the laws to decrease the amount of deaths related to driving as well.

Specific laws were made to make driving less dangerous. When they are broken, there is a higher percentage of an accident occurring among drivers. To help make driving safer, everyone should obey the laws such as driving the speed limit, not drinking while driving, or making sure to use turn signals when making turns or showing someone that you are switching lanes. Even the simple act of wearing a seatbelt can save someone from being thrown through the windshield of their car if they were to get in a car accident. Not following these and the many other laws can lead to tickets, fines, and even jail time, which I am sure no one wants. Following these rules may seem small, but at the end of the day they can be the factor in saving your life or another person’s life from a life threatening accident.

Moreover, specific steps when getting in a car can limit the number of deaths and accidents related to driving. For example, whenever I go to drive I almost follow a checklist before I start to my destination. I think to myself, set the seat to the proper setting so I can see the road and everything in front of me. Next, set my side and back mirrors so I can see not the surroundings on the side of my car and the cars behind me. Then, make sure that I can properly reach the pedals if I need to break suddenly. And finally, I make sure that my seatbelt is always on as I mentioned earlier that wearing one can determine if you survive or do not survive an accident. This little checklist, which takes not even a minute, can ensure you or someone else is prepared to drive, ultimately leading all people to becoming safer drivers. Driver’s safety is important for all people to know and can be followed daily by obeying traffic laws and doing the little things to make sure you are safe behind the wheel.