K-Turns, U-Turns, and Turning Youth into Safer Drivers

An astonishing amount of grief originates from vehicular catastrophes, but it does not have to be this way. Many of these disasters are caused by simple means with even simpler solutions readily available. For one, common ignorance is the root of all confusion, which is something one cannot afford to have while behind the wheel. Not knowing how to react to situations fast enough can turn a small skid into a wreck sticking out of a nearby ditch. Another cause for concern is plain, ordinary carelessness. Either spawned by overconfidence or a quick glance at a phone, being careless behind the wheel is a sure way to increase one’s auto insurance deductible. Both of these have the luxury of almost certain injury, but there are solutions to help remedy these afflictions. For starters, issues with ignorance.

As people are barreling down the streets in two ton metal machines, unadulterated focus is needed to assure the safety of their passengers as well as those around them. An unfamiliar sign or a split second of hesitation due to unsureness of how legal that U-turn was could lead to an accident. Thankfully, with programs such as driver’s education, new drivers are getting out onto the roads with some semblance of an understanding with the ins and outs of driving. Also included, and just as important, is experience behind the wheel that is conjured in a safe environment during these programs. Learning the basics and acquiring practice handling a vehicle in a safe manner is a blessing that should not be taken lightly. With more competent drivers speeding down main street, not only will the safety of other drivers be secured, but also that of pedestrians. Due to this, deaths caused by driving are heavily decreased. However, there are other problems that can cause the downbringing of a driver as they cruise through town.

Ignorance may be one of the more prevalent causes, but active carelessness also plays into the death toll. Even so, carelessness as a whole cannot be solely pinned down as it is a much more complex problem. There are many ways for carelessness to spring up. For starters, many drivers are well knowledged and experienced, but this could lead them to become overconfident and thus inattentive. This false sense of security can help to cause quite the shock if something unexpected flies across their dashboard. A way to solve this problem would be to reward drivers for consistently driving with care. This could be done with decreasing monthly insurance costs. Sadly, overconfidence isn’t the only place carelessness can be found. Texting while driving is responsible for a quarter of all car crashes in America according to Edgar Snyder & Associates, a personal injury and workers’ compensation law firm. With a statistic such as this, it’s rather difficult to not connect the dots. Phones in general grab the vast majority of our attention, even when the screen is turned off. Requiring them to be set to off or put into a stand by mode would dramatically decrease the chance of an accident. As difficult as it sounds to facilitate this kind of a movement, a solution akin to one mentioned above could very easily be implemented. Downloading an application on one’s phone that could connect and share screen usage data with insurance providers could provide discounts on prices as a reward for abstaining from using one’s phone. This would promote a decrease in screen time while driving; saving lives but also money for those who drive with care. Among the various problems one can think of, there are a myriad of ways to counteract them. Further exploring the panaceas of automotive strife will save countless lives and a great deal of money.

Driving in this day and age should not be nearly as dangerous as the numbers say. The grand multitude of wrecks and disasters that come about due to ignorance or carelessness are inexcusable. Important programs such as drivers education leads to an increase in driver competency, and thus, a decrease in deaths related to driving. Moreover, solutions to carelessness are as common as one would hope. With each problem, there are multiple solutions immediately available; many more solutions can also be found with minimal effort. Although this may not cover all causes to vehicular accidents, the ones discussed herein are some of the more prevalent points of concern. These issues should not be taken lightly, especially when their remedies are so readily available. When this many lives can be saved, why wait?