Taking on the Responsibilities of our Highways

Driver Education Initiative 2020: In the Driver’s Seat

Taking on the Responsibility of our Highways

What if we could all take responsibility for our driving and truly be in the driver’s seat of our life and the safety of our highways? I read an article earlier this month that mentioned that it had been 20 years since Texas could claim a day where there were no fatalities on their roads. Therefore, the importance of ending this streak and taking the initiative to keep our roads safe is more important than ever.

However, where do we start this process to make the biggest impact. I believe we start with our driver education courses. Many of these courses have been transitioned to online learning, which has saved time for many families. Driver education courses play a vital role in not only teaching knowledge but in transitioning teenagers into a role of responsibility as they gain their independence at the end of the course. Yet, this independence comes with a wealth of responsibility. The knowledge content of an online course is extremely helpful in learning the rules of the road; nevertheless, I am not sure if this is the most effective way for teenagers to learn how to drive. If the parents are teaching the driving portion of the online class and have bad driving habits, these habits are now being passed onto the next generation. Before, when you had certified teachers in the classroom, it was regulated, and you knew the skills they were learning were correct. Therefore, to understand the true importance of a driver education course and to see the number of deaths reduced, I believe there should be more protocols in the course. One of the mandatory protocols would be driving time behind the wheel with a license certified instructor. By teaching teenagers how to drive responsibly from the beginning we will be able to reduce the number of deaths related to driving and not be as reliant on the safety features of cars.

Manufacturers continue to offer safety features in their vehicles that help reduce the number of fatalities, although many times this offers a sense of safety that is not truly present. It is still the driver’s responsibility to maintain a safe distance behind other drivers, not to text and drive, wear seat belts, and not be distracted by music, animals, and friends/family in the car. Today, we find it socially unacceptable to drive or ride with someone who has been drinking. But what if it was socially unacceptable to not be buckled up, to not drive drowsy, or to not be distracted while driving. As I have travelled with friends in the rural communities, it was easier to drive the speed limit because of road conditions, sharp turns or the threat of animals running out on the road. However, as I now drive back and forth to college, speeding is more appealing. I try to justify it by saying I am going with the flow of the traffic. Yet, just think if one or two drivers were to take the responsibility of saying no to that statement, how many other drivers this would affect, which in the end could save someone’s life.

What if everyone took responsibility for their driving? Could Texas “end the streak”? Could we, as drivers, control our highways just by being more responsible? Absolutely!