Driver Education

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) there was a total of 33,244 deadly driving accidents in which a total of 36,096 deaths occurred in 2019. While these numbers are a few years old, it is important to consider the reduction in vehicles on the road during the global pandemic. The numbers from 2019 can provide a more accurate glimpses into the pattern of deaths associated with driving. It is unclear the exact number of deaths that could have been prevented with increased volume and quality of driver education, but it is a safe to assume in this situation that more attention paid to safety there could have been an impact. Understanding the means of something as simple as the solid vs dashed line on the road indicating passing safety can help ensure that drivers have a clear understanding of not only their meanings but why they are in place. There is no question that the almost universal distraction caused by cell phones attributed to the danger of driving. Even if I take ever precaution there is still an increased risk of death when I enter a vehicle simply due to the habits, behaviors, and actions of other drivers on the road.

 

I think we need to change what driver’s education and driver safety means to the general population. There are many that conjure a picture of a driving instructor in the passenger seat holding a clipboard taking notes on your mistakes. It is so much more than that now. Understanding why these rules are in place, rather than just the rules themselves, can help drivers develop a deeper understanding of their importance. When we are able to create more than a surface level understanding of these concepts learners are able connect these lessons with something personal to their lived experience. This can result in more sustainable knowledge development. Many people are likely to talk about the shock factor and showing horrific videos or pictures to try and create a lasting impression on learners, but the reality is that many of these images and videos are reminiscent of images shown on news or in video games. These tactics no longer had the impact they used to and can cause some to check out and dismiss any possible lesson to be found. These strategies do still have their place in education, but they are not the way to infuse long-term investment in safety.

 

I have just recently had a close friend experience what could have been a very serious accident. At eight months pregnant a friend of mine was taking a routine trip to the store for some miscellaneous items. Like many drivers today, she regularly checked her phone during the short drive. Between Facebook, TikTok, texting, and other distractions this left very little attention span for adhering to the rules of the road. This lack of attention resulted in rear ending the car in front of her stopped at a red light. This abrupt stop caused the car behind her to rear end her. This created a car trapped and crushed with an expectant mother in the driver’s seat. My friend was care flighted for emergency medical care. There was a period where we feared for her life and that of her unborn child. These hours of waiting and learning what lead up to the accident was difficult for us all and has had a lasting impact. In this situation she was lucky to have made a full recovery and later gave birth to a healthy baby.

 

I feel like a person can learn the most by example. I have explained before that paying attention to your phone while driving is disrespectful to anyone in the car with me and others on the road. We like to think of ourselves as being good people who are respectful to others. There is a common understanding of the Golden Rule when we consider our interactions with others. Reframing something as commonplace as glancing at your phone when driving as an action that has a larger impact on others even if it does not result in a crash can lead to thinking of safe driving as an act of respect and consideration for others. Driving safely is not an action that is beneficial to the individual, but one that sends a message to the other drivers and passengers on the road. It says that you value their safety more than checking your phone or driving distracted. We have to remember that we can only control ourselves but setting a good example for others has the potential to impact their actions resulting in a ripple effect. Even small actions like the one described and have a much larger impact on others.