Education and Responsibility– The Necessities of Safe Driving

Everday, people risk their lives by driving. Many of us, including myself, have seen or even experienced a car accident. I was too young to remember the minor car accident I experienced; however, many others have suffered the devastating consequences a car accident can bring. According to the Global Health Observatory data, car accidents are the ninth leading cause of death and the leading cause of death for those between 15 and 29 years old (WHO). Additionally, about two million drivers experience permanent injuries due to car accidents each year (Driver Knowledge, 2019). Sadly, many of these deaths and injuries are preventable. Most car accidents can be avoided by having a good drivers ed and by driving responsibly.

Having drivers ed is crucial for safe driving. Of teen drivers between the ages of 15-20 involved in crashes, 91% of them did not have drivers ed (Oregon DOT, 2018). This statistic is not surprising since the chance of crashing increases by hundreds of times when the driver makes errors such as braking or stopping improperly, right of way errors, or even being unfamiliar with a vehicle or roadway (Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 2016). Additionally, if licensed American drivers retake the knowledge test for a learner’s permit, 40% would fail (CarInsurance.com, 2013), proving that drivers ed needs to be maintained. When there are more educated drivers on the road, the number of car accidents should decrease.

Besides being an educated driver, one must also be a responsible driver. Reckless driving can result in grave consequences for ourselves or others. For example, 139,000 people were injured and 846 were killed in accidents by red-light running in 2018 (IIHS). Furthermore, in 2016, 10,111 people died in the US due to speeding, which was 27% of all traffic deaths (NHTSA, 2018). Moreover, applying driving common sense, such as not texting and driving or driving drowsy, can drastically reduce the chance of crashing. A driver who texts and drives is twenty-three times more likely to get in an accident (NHTSA, 2018) while a driver who drives tired is two and a half times more likely to get in an accident (Sleep, Journal of the Sleep Research Society, 2017). If more people drove responsibility, there would be fewer traffic accidents.

In conclusion, it is necessary to have more responsible, educated drivers on the road to decrease traffic accidents. Of course, because of human error and uncertain weather conditions, not all traffic accidents are avoidable, but a majority are preventable. Drivers need to have good drivers ed to be familiar with the rules of the road. Moreover, people can become more responsible drivers if they do small things, such as keeping the phone away from the driver’s seat or pulling-over when they get tired– these small actions could save lives. The drivers of today must set a good example for the next generation of drivers to follow. If more drivers had a good, thorough drivers ed and demonstrated driving responsibility, the roads would become much safer to commute.