Walking On Four Wheels

We learn to walk as soon as we are exposed to the world as infants and we don’t practice walking right out of the womb, but babies observe, watch, and examine how other look-alike creatures master this amazing feat of “walking”. Likewise, driving is in a sense learning to walk again, but with all four limbs, your eyes, intuition, and external machinery. Living in the hustling and bustling setting of New York City, I witness on the daily people walking on top of each other, colliding this way and that. I see cars passing through red lights, not signaling properly, and doing dangerous maneuvers. There are accidents every single day in my neighborhood. If we all learned to walk properly on four wheels, perhaps we would stop seeing vehicle collision notifications on the Citizen App every few minutes. Taking preventative measures is crucial, and we must re-train ourselves on the way that we approach a machine that’s sole intention is to make it easier for us to reach our destinations.

Despite the implications of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic on how many vehicles were on the road, the United States still managed to experience a significant number of fatal deaths. In 2020, the recorded estimate of deaths due to motor vehicle collisions was 38,680—the largest number since 2007 (NHTSA, 2021). How are we still managing to see such large numbers of preventable deaths during a time where there were fewer vehicles on the road? Perhaps more studies should be done on road etiquette to provide baseline information on what practices are most common. Are people not communicating well with other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians? Are people anxious or scared? Are people simply reckless when it comes to driving? If so, what is the root cause of this recklessness? Is it something psychological? These are questions that must be asked when tackling the issue of driving safely. It is important now more than ever to rethink how we approach driving. It should be on par with how we approach walking. Walking is innate in humans, and we should strive to view driving as something of second nature to us, especially in the modern and industrialized 21^st century.

Everyone should take as many lessons as needed to feel confident behind the wheel. Defensive driving courses should also be taken because in this age of impulsivity and recklessness, a driver can do everything right but still end up in a motor crash. Everyone should also approach driving holistically, as some other developed countries do. In Switzerland, they have a low number of motor fatalities and that may be in part due to the strict policy of what happens when you fail the driver’s test several times. The Switzerland driving test protocol includes the mandatory driving aptitude test if someone fails a third time (Frew, 2019). This assesses the individual holistically, which is extremely necessary in this time of anxiety and nervousness. A professional could get to the bottom of why somebody is not passing the test, whether it stems from a psychological issue or another source. Prevention is the best safety practice.

I am currently taking my driving lessons at 21 which some may say is too old, but in New York City, driving is much more of a hassle than hopping on the train. Still, I know this is a skill I will need eventually, so it was now or never. I sat in the driver’s seat for the first time and my instructor put me on the road right away with my heart racing and bracing for what was coming. I knew a close family member who got into a car accident, and while she survived, she underwent months of hospitalization and recovery. To this day, she is still hesitant to go behind the wheel because of the trauma from that experience. A close professor of mine has also got into a motor accident just last week, and she has expressed feeling shaken up still. Despite her taking all the initiatives to drive safely, she ended up in a collision due to a person not practicing safe road etiquette.

We must understand our limits, our capabilities, and our learning styles to be fully functional and safe drivers. When I first let go of the brake pedal and felt the vehicle move, I was terrified because I knew of the risks and dangers of driving, especially in a hectic city like New York City. Amid the sea of drivers who were experienced, I felt like a baby learning to walk for the first time. New York City isn’t a happy place for road dwellers, so I was inevitably honked at a few times. I will be on my fourth lesson this week, and while it is still scary for me, my perspective on driving has helped me to contain my fears and grow confidence. Driving can be as safe and easy as walking—just on four wheels.

Frew, C. (2019, November 25). Failing your driving test four times in Switzerland lands you a psychological assessment. https://www.unilad.co.uk/life/failing-your-driving-test-four-times-in-switzerland-lands-you-a-psychological-assessment/

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2021, June 3). 2020 fatality data show increased traffic fatalities during pandemic. https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/2020-fatality-data-show-increased-traffic-fatalities-during-pandemic