A trip down the roads of maturity and technology

In 2019 there were 36,096 deaths from car crashes alone. That is equivalent to 1% of the population and while it may not seem like a lot it is. According to Safetyinsurance.com, Nationwide, 43 percent of first-year drivers and 37 percent of second-year drivers are involved in car crashes. Advanced Driver Training has reduced that rate to 4.6 percent of first-year drivers, as determined in a four-year study. So when you ask what the importance of driver education is, the simple answer is that it’s a lifesaver to tens of thousands of first year drivers. Furthermore drivers education teaches drivers the basics of the roads such as when you have the right of way, the different types of signs and driving on the highway, which are all things that can help keep you safe on the road.

There are a few steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. The biggest thing that can be done is raising the age where you can obtain a driver’s license from 16 to 18. By raising the age limit to 18, first year drivers will be more mature as most 18 year olds are graduating from high school and are beginning to mature more and more which will lead to less accidents caused by immature first year drivers. Another step we can take is enforcing a rule that everyone has to take drivers training classes instead of allowing teenagers to get their license after they turn 18 and take a written test. By giving teens their licenses at 18 without taking classes, they are only eating half of the information they need when they are on the road and if they are required to take these classes it could help reduce deaths by car crash. The last step I will talk about has to deal with technology. The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year. Nearly 390,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving. 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving. One way we can combat this is with Apple carplay. By using Apple carplay you don’t necessarily even have a reason to look down at your phone, simply by activating Siri you can text someone back or request directions and songs with your voice. Also the location of the screen in the car is in a spot where you don’t have to take your eyes off the road you can see both at the same time. Now I know not everyone who drives has a car with carplay but there are a couple alternatives. The first idea is a little pricey but you can buy a carplay system and get it installed in your car, so that you have access to it’s amazing features without buying a whole new car. The other idea is a phone stand that you can stick on your front windshield, which would allow you to see your phone screen while still paying attention to the road and with most IPhones you can use the “Hey Siri” option to activate Siri without pressing a button.

I have never experienced being in a car crash luckily but I have experienced irresponsible driving by my friends. Most of my friends are 18 years old meaning they only got their driver’s license a few years ago. They are still a little immature when they are driving. When my friends drive separately they think it’s a good idea to race, which leads to them speeding, which also leads to them getting speeding tickets. There have been multiple times where I was riding with my friends and the driver would start going 20 over the speed limit and get pulled over.

When I first got my license I had to ask my parents if I could drive myself to places and they were hesitant to let me drive. They told me to drive like my life depended on it, because it does. This has stuck with me ever since I started driving and prevents me from doing stupid things like racing my other friends. Although I may not speed I can admit that I am a teen who pays a lot of attention to my phone, even while driving sometimes. To become a better driver I need to take my own advice and get a phone stand so that I can use Siri with my voice to respond to texts and get directions while on the road. Other steps I can take to help others become a better driver would be leading by example. I can’t assure that everyone watches me drive, but when I’m driving my friends I will always emphasize to them how I don’t speed or pull up on the bumper of cars, hoping that they will change the ways they choose to drive. I hope that with the information I have presented that it will help other contestants and myself become better drivers.