Improve our drivers test throughout America

A few months ago, I received a call from my mom, she told me that my two-year-old brother and my dad had been in a car accident only a few miles from our house. My dad was stopped at a stop sign when a large tree hauling truck turned and slammed into his much smaller white truck. My dad blacked out for a short time and when he realized what happened he looked back at my little brother who appeared to be okay. Luckily, no one was hurt; however, we later discovered that the other driver was not authorized to be driving that truck. I cannot help but wonder if this accident could have been avoided had he been properly licensed. My sister also got into a car accident a few years ago. She crossed a road at a part she wasn’t supposed to, and she got T-boned (she and the other person involved were both okay). Another time, my sister’s best friend cut off a semi-truck and she got tailgated. My mom was in a car accident when she was a teenager, and her back is still messed up to this day. My soccer teammate got into a crash on her way home one night. I am only one person and I personally know multiple people who have been in a car accident. This is how you know there is a problem in America, and it needs to be fixed.

There is an estimate of about 5,338,000 car crashes annually a year in the United States, which means there are about 15,913 crashes a day. The main causes of these collisions are speeding, driving under the influence or distracted driving. Approximately 36,989 people in the United States die every day due to car crashes. To decrease these numbers, we must improve our driver education in the United States. The best way to do that is to reflect on other countries and their methods. According to “driving tests” Germany has the best drivers. The driving age is 18 and it could take up to six months to get your license. To get a license in Germany, drivers must take multiple driving lessons (including situations where there is high-speed traffic), drivers receive first-aid training AND after all that they still have an extremely difficult exam and a road test. Because of this the outcome is dedicated and better drivers. I think that as a whole country, we should test similarly to how Germany does, because they have a significantly less number of crashes a year than America does. In the United States, depending on the state you live in, you can get your license between the age of 16 and 18. In Florida, once you get your permit the DMV tells you to practice driving at night and during the day but there is no way to prove this has been done, so really you could take your drivers tests with only driving a handful of times. I remember when I took my driver’s test at 16, the test was not very hard. We were on the back roads where there wasn’t much traffic, and the speed limit was between 25 and 35. How does this really test your driving ability? If we as a whole country want to decrease car accidents, we should have a country wide agreement upon driver age and test. Not only should we improve upon how we give out our licenses, but we should also make sure our roads are safe for driving. Potholes in the roads are extremely dangerous, if you hit a pothole going at a relatively fast speed then you could lose control over your vehicle, and it could damage your car. As for individual drivers, if we want to prepare better drivers we could obey the driving laws, including driving vehicles we are authorized to drive, obeying the speed limit, setting aside our phones and other electronics while we drive. Another way to avoid accidents is to be a defensive driver. This means no tailgating, keeping a respectable distance between other cars and being extra observant to other vehicles around you. Not only will this help keep you safe, but it will help keep others safe on the road too.

As stated before, one major cause of car accidents is driving under the influence. One person in my family has gotten multiple DUIs, and because of this her license has been revoked. If you are drinking it is your job to make sure that you do not get behind the wheel. If you are drinking at home, stay at home. If you go out with friends, have one friend stay sober and have them be the designated driver (DD). If you are drinking alone, get an Uber or cab. It is your responsibility as a driver and a person who is legally allowed to consume alcohol to do the right thing. If you are not sure if you had one too many, play it safe and get a ride.