Drive Safe

Drive Safe

A fun weekend was coming to an end. It was not often my sister and I got to have a sleepover at our cousin’s house, so we made sure to play as much as possible. However, the time eventually came to leave, so we all piled into my older cousin’s car. My older cousin was behaving rather erratically, being very loud and unfocused. It unsettled me; she was twenty-two, and about to drive two minors on a busy highway. I did not think I had to ask her to concentrate on the road, and I did not want to seem disrespectful. To put myself at ease, I sat in shotgun to control the radio so she could focus on driving.

Despite my subtle attempt at getting her to try and focus on the road, my cousin seemed to become more animated while driving. She started recanting a story and talked with her hand, at several points taking both hands off the wheel to get her point across. The car swerved multiple times and almost rammed into a guard rail. When we reached our destination twenty minutes later, I realized my knuckles were white from clenching my hand into a fist. That short car ride could have cost the lives of my cousin, my little sister, myself, and others.

I had thought my cousin was responsible, so how had this happened? Drivers can become distracted when they use their phones, eat, put on makeup, or, in my case, tell a story that requires them to focus for long periods of times. The previously stated actions are examples of cognitive, visual, and/or manual distractions, which can seriously affect a person’s driving.

Due to the many car accidents that occur each year because of distracted driving, driver’s education programs tend to focus on how to combat the dangerous practice through defensive driving. Defensive driving is designed to help students stay as safe as possible while on roadways. Driver’s education constantly reminds students to stay focused, be aware of their surroundings, and cut out distractions. Driving requires a person’s full attention, and if that attention is diverted, even for just a few seconds, an otherwise avoidable tragedy can occur.

Approximately ninety people die every single day from car collisions, and one-third of every collision death involves drunk driving. Again, driver’s education recommends not to drink alcohol at all, but should the student do so, they recommend planning beforehand to have someone who has not been drinking to drive them home, such as friends, family, or a transportation service driver.

There are many other actions one can take to become a safer driver. Drivers should always buckle up before driving and should ensure every passenger inside the vehicle is also wearing a seatbelt. Studies have shown that wearing a seatbelt while in the front seat of a vehicle can reduce the risk of having a fatal injury substantially. Programming a Global Positioning System (GPS) to recite directions is much safer than trying to read a map while driving. When stopping at the drive-thru for food, drivers should park or wait until they get home to eat. Drivers should not use their phones while operating a vehicle for any reason; if there is an emergency, the driver can pull over and use their phone. Inexperienced and veteran drivers alike can experience road rage, a feeling of anger which can be related to traffic delays or running late but can escalate by affecting their driving skills. Road rage can cause confrontations, tailgating, and even accidents and death. To prevent unnecessary conflict, drivers should remain calm, ensure they are maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles, and focus on finishing their journey.

Blind spots, areas of the road that cannot be seen in rearview mirrors, contribute to over eight hundred thousand accidents every year. To help avoid collisions, drivers should adjust their mirrors accordingly, aiming at these blind spots rather than where I usually see them, pointed down the side of the vehicle. No matter how “smart” a car is, drivers need to look over their shoulder before turning or passing other vehicles, and only turn or pass when they know the way is clear. Being aware of other vehicles’ blind spots and taking care to not linger where others cannot see them is another essential defensive driving method.

Accidents can happen anywhere, at any time, to anyone, for a multitude of reasons. Driver’s education is essential in teaching novice drivers the privilege of driving and the consequences that come when that privilege is disregarded or taken for granted.