A Car Rolls into a Roundabout…

Driving is an immensely important part of our everyday lives. More than any other form of transportation, cars get us where we need to go. Getting a license is a rewarding experience and a sign of an individual’s growing independence as they mature into adults. However, along with the overwhelming conveniences that come with driving, there is also a lot of responsibility.

Cars are powerful vehicles. In the wrong hands, a car is much more dangerous than most domestic weapons, so it makes sense that, just like domestic weapons, we require licenses for them. Drivers’ education is a big step in the licensing process for teenagers, giving future drivers the information they need to operate their car safely and efficiently. In addition to giving information, drivers’ education also gives examples of what can happen when driving regulations aren’t followed. As I went through drivers’ education I was surprised when I learned what some of the consequences of reckless driving could be. Hearing these examples certainly helped me to understand the gravity of the privilege of driving. In addition, the requirement of drivers’ education class forces driving practice in a safe environment, both with the officiated driving practices, which help in the learning of technical issues, and the required at-home practice, to help with muscle memory and developing safe driving habits. When all of these are put together, they work towards crafting a driver that is ready to face the challenges of driving safely by the end of their course.

Even with all the advantages that drivers’ education classes bring, we still see many tragic deaths every year as a result of driving. One factor contributing to these accidents is infrastructure that needs updating, a big example of this is four-way stops and stoplights. It has been shown many times that roundabouts greatly increase efficiency of traffic while also increasing safety when used correctly. Roundabouts increase attentiveness on the road. When driving down a fast road, it can be easy to zone out and start and stop for lights on autopilot. Roundabouts require the driver to ensure no other vehicles are coming through, and judge when the safest time to go is. They engage the brain more, requiring you to focus on the road.

One time when this would have been beneficial was when my parents were driving in the year of 2001 on a busy road north of my city. At the time, there were no roundabouts in the highway, and there were a lot of roads intersecting with it. Many crashes had occurred on the road already. As they were driving, they had to slow down for a car in front of them, and they were rear-ended by an inattentive driver behind them. If there had been more roundabouts on this stretch of road, the driver would have been forced to be more attentive, and perhaps no crash would have occurred. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, and the situation turned out fine, but it could have very easily been a seriously damaging event. This road has seen a significant increase in roundabouts over the past few years, and as a result, there have been much fewer crashes recently.

As individuals, the biggest step we can take towards reducing the number of accidents, and consequently, fatalities, is to understand the roads we drive on. In the case of roundabouts, many people who were not taught how to use them when learning to drive still don’t know how to use them, and often use them incorrectly. Roundabouts aren’t the only common piece of transportation infrastructure that can be difficult to navigate however. There are many instances where traffic flow and safety would be greatly improved if those that used them simply had the knowledge of how to use them. For example, many people are not aware that you are supposed to turn into the lane that matches the lane you are in, beginning on the side you are turning to. When this isn’t followed, it often results in cars swerving in front of others, a dangerous situation that decreases efficiency and safety. Whenever I run into a situation I haven’t encountered before, I do my best to read the signs and use common sense to figure out what to do, then spend three minutes of research on the issue later. Everyone has three minutes a week, and if more people did this and employed what they had learned, I believe our roads would be much safer.

Driving is a tremendous responsibility. For all the conveniences it brings, there is also significant danger involved. However, if we do our research and employ common sense on a daily basis, our roads will be much safer. Adding safety infrastructure also works towards making driving a better experience. Driving is much safer when people are educated and given the tools to drive well.