On the road

• What is the importance of driver education in reducing the number deaths as a result of driving?

• What steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving?

• Have you ever had an experience of being in car accident or have seen your friends or family members driving irresponsibly?

• What steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road?

The importance of driver education can not be underestimated. The public is often naive to the true dangers of driving. The public perceive high risk activities to be uncommon and rare, and generally underestimate the more common high-risk activities. That is why is it important that the public is properly educated about the risks that comes with driving. As proper education can reduce the incidence of improper driving behaviours if people understand the risk associated with it. For example, the importance of concentration during driving. Such as avoiding phone use or taxing conversation during driving.

In 2018 36,560 deaths in the United States were from road associated accidents, this figure eclipses the 2,977 of 9/11, an incident recognized as very catastrophic. The public recognising the dangers associated with driving and some specific scenarios can aid in reducing the number of accidents on the road. As due to the frequency of driving it is often underestimated when it comes to risk, encouraging a less cautious attitude from drivers. Which highlights that education about the risk can have a very big impact.

One of the most important ways to enact change is through education. Education can be an effective tool in changing the driving habits of millions. When people are educated on the risks of certain behaviours, they are more likely to act in ways in which would minimise these risks.

For example, drink driving campaigns have been long established, along side many laws to act as a deterrent against it. The first law in the United states to penalise those driving under the influence has been established in New York since 1910. Over the years there have been many public campaigns designed to deter people from drink riving through education. An example being the “Friends don’t let other friends drink drive”, here there was a focus on how it is not only the driver responsible but those around the driver also.

It has been proven that the use of a handheld mobile phone can drastically reduce reaction time in drivers, subsequently increasing the risk of road accidents. A reaction to this was to increase awareness of the dangers associated with such behaviour.

A risky driving habit often underestimated is driving while tired. As the driver is not alert it results in poorer reaction while driving. The U. S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports 100,000 accidents a year as a result of this.

Why do I believe education to be a vessel to encourage driving safer driving habits?

I believe that effective education of poor driving habits can genuinely change people’s outlook towards such behaviours. As personally when I truly understood the dangers to not only myself and other drivers I felt personal duty of care to both themselves and other road users.