The Importance of Driver Safety

We are all human and unfortunately by nature, prone to make mistakes. One mistake I was responsible for was not paying attention to my surroundings, which resulted in me hitting a truck when driving in reverse. I was focused on a new street sign while backing up and did not realize a truck drove behind me at that time. I vividly remember no worse feeling in my stomach than realizing all of this was my fault. Although it was only a minor scratch to the driver’s headlights, I felt like I ruined his vehicle. This event is what I believe started my understanding of the importance of driver education. I concluded that driver safety is essential to the goal of reducing car accidents.

The majority of Americans are uninformed about the lethality of driving. This can result from driver education being constantly overlooked by many drivers. In 2019 38,800 people lost their lives due to motor vehicle accidents, almost surpassing the total deaths of Minnesota in 2018. Driver education is essential to keeping roads as safe as possible and decrease the number of fatalities. According to a study conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, there was a direct correlation among young drivers that participated in drivers ED and those that did not thereby resulting in significantly fewer accidents and tickets for those drivers that completed a drivers education program. The researchers concluded that “Teens taking driver education are less likely to be involved in crashes or receive a traffic violation during their first two years of driving…Because teen crashes and fatality rates are highest at ages 16-18 and these reductions are especially meaningful.”

Numerous steps can reduce the number of deaths related to driving and many states have implemented such steps. One of the most prevalent steps states use is the policing of roads. All states in the United States cooperate with police to enforce safe driving. Police are given jurisdiction to punish drivers that break state driving laws and effectively help reduce the number of deaths related to driving. A study in Massachusetts explains that increased traffic enforcement and fine activity showed a decrease in the number of crash injuries and fatalities. Another method that assists in reducing the number of car-related deaths is speed limit signs. Speed limit signs inform drivers of the safest speed to drive on a specific road and serve as reinforces to limit drivers driving unsafe speeds. The reason for this is because the faster a driver is going the less time they have to react if a hazardous situation appears.

In order to create the safest driving environment for me, I tend to limit all distractions. Whenever I enter my vehicle I try to focus solely on reaching my destination safely and not let anything interfere with my safety or my passengers. My first step is to turn my phone on “do not disturb”, which restricts my phone to not show any notifications received and to keep my focus on the road. Phones are a major distraction that many drivers fall victim to and are responsible for many accidents. My next step is to remind all passengers to apply their seatbelts. This one-step action can determine life and death in the instance of a car accident. According to the CDC “seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45%, and cut the risk of serious injury by 50%.” My last step is to ensure all my mirrors are adjusted to provide me with an adequate field of view. Lack of attention to your environment is highly dangerous and can contribute to an accident unfolding.

Driver education is often overlooked by many drivers on the road and it is impossible to create safer roads without it. We as drivers must realize the risk we pose when we ignore safety practices and how deadly those consequences can be.