Live To Drive Another Day

Education is crucial to succeed in so many aspects of life, and driving is included. As you hop in the driver’s seat, you turn the keys to activate a two-thousand-pound weapon, capable of killing people in seconds. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out on their website, “The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens aged 16–19 than among any other age group.” Young drivers typically have the least education and experience, which explains this statistic. Some of the listed risk factors the CDC references include inexperience, not using seat belts, distracted driving, speeding, and alcohol use.¹ These are all some of the biggest causes of crashes and deaths. They could be largely avoided if people had more exposure to these risks, and they took the education to heart to prevent the perceived immunity we have in a private space. One step that people can take to reduce driving deaths can be on the manufacturer, even though many do not initially think of that. Car companies could implement software that forces you to wear your seatbelt by not allowing you to drive until it is buckled. Also, they should have built-in breathalyzers in every car, not just those who have a criminal record. This way, even with the loophole of someone else blowing into it for you, you have to bring someone else’s attention to your plans to drive drunk, and a friend has the chance to stop you. Advertisements are another good way to reach people who you would not normally reach through voluntary education opportunities. By showing the results of negligent driving and the aftermath of vehicular homicide, it can incite people to be more cautious on the roads. I have had the experience of a friend of mine driving irresponsibly, and it put the people in our car, and a surrounding car, in danger. He decided that there was a car that was driving too slow on a back road, and because of this he was going to pass on a double yellow line. He did this as another car was coming in the opposite direction, and it forced them to slam on the brakes to avoid a head-on crash. If my friend had obeyed the rules and educated himself on the danger of passing on a no-pass road, he would not have endangered any of our lives. To become a better and safer driver, I can be cautious for others. That means, in a situation where I may have a green traffic light, if a car is barreling through from across, I do not trust that they will stop in time until they do. I must keep in my mind that even if I follow the rules of the road, it does not necessarily mean others will, and I must account for that. I can start a campaign at my school to encourage safe driving by doing something like towing in a car that has been totaled onto campus and parking it in a spot where people will pass by it. It is a telling reminder to be cautious and alert so that your car does not end up that way. Lastly, I can make sure I keep my eyes on the road and set up hands-free resources on my phone and in my car if I am being contacted. Accounting for distractions before they happen and keeping them away is crucial to helping more people live to drive another day.