Dumb Ways to Die

Dumb ways to die: a popular mobile game was a sensation throughout the 2010s. Showing children around the world the various dumb ways to die. At the moment, I believe they should add another segment on the game: distracted driving. In the United States, there are 34,000 deaths annually due to car accidents. That equates to 3.8 deaths an hour. According to the New York Times, the chances of dying in a car crash is extremely high: a one in 103 chance; the chances of dying in a gun assault is one in 285; the chances dying as a pedestrian one in 556 cases. These outstanding statistics tell what the United States needs to know: driving is dangerous, but what makes driving more dangerous than walking? According to the Huffington post, the number one reason for car crashes is distracted driving followed by drunk driving, speeding, and reckless driving. All of these reasons have a common denominator: human error. These crashes and deaths can be easily avoided if we took the necessary steps to be a responsible driver. 

The first step is to become educated. Since distracted driving is the number one reason for car crashes, why not take away cell phones. The only problem is distracted driving includes many aspects. A study conducted by the New Virginia Tech Research, found distracting driving activities are not only limited to cell phones, but can include reading or writing, reaching for an object, using a touchscreen on vehicle technology, driving while highly emotional (angry, sad, crying), fatigue, and interacting with another passenger. All of these distractions can more than double the risk of crashing. The director of Virginia Tech Transportation Institute stated, “if we take no steps in the near future to limit the number of distracting activities in a vehicle, those who represent the next generation of drivers will only continue to be at greater risk of a crash.” What better way to limit the number of distractions and to educate than with the new generation of drivers: teens. 

New drivers pick up the habits from their teachers. If you can teach them young, they will pass this information to the next generation. New teen drivers are especially vulnerable to crashes, even with driver’s education, according to the national institute of health. Current school-based programs dealing with drug use and driver education programs have yet to be successful because of the short duration, scare techniques, and lack of skill building. While they are a great start at educating drivers, it needs to be coupled with other aspects. The National Institute of Health found the best way to encourage safe driving is to include skills training and insight training. Furthermore, insurer education programs can provide discounts for crash-free driving as an incentive. New drivers need to be proactive and not reactive. These implementations will both encourage and strengthen behavior for incoming drivers for years to come. 

I know it is difficult to follow all of the rules on the road, but following the rules save lives. My parents were in a roll-over car crash on the freeway. They survived only because of their seatbelt. To be a safe driver saves lives. I am also starting to learn how to drive. I am getting my license in January. In order to ensure I am an experienced driver; I have held onto my permit for 2 years. I have taken driver education courses and driver safety courses through Driver’s Edge, a program designed to teach real life emergency avoidance and response techniques and overall driver safety. Furthermore, I put my cell phone away and silence it to prevent it from distracting me. I’ve seen the effects of distracted driving. Cars crash and people die. We need to improve education directed toward new drivers before distracted driving is pinned to the long list of dumb ways to die.