Driving: The Most Normalized Life Threatening Activity

There are over 200 million people in the United States that currently hold a valid driver’s license. Driving is a normal, everyday activity for most people, and there are rarely feelings of fear in the average person while driving. However, there are over 38,000 people that die each year from car crashes. Driving, if not taken seriously and conducted responsibly, can easily produce fatal consequences. This exemplifies the importance of driving safety awareness as well as the importance of enlightening individuals of the risk that comes along with this everyday activity.

The first step to safety awareness is proper education. Many individuals are against the fear tactics that many driving schools tend to utilize in order to demonstrate the dangers of the roads; however, these fear tactics are often the most effective way to instill safe habits. In particular, when I completed my driving school we were shown a video of what could happen in a car of five people if one person was not wearing their seatbelt. The individual lacking the seatbelt was thrown around the car fatally injuring every single person within the vehicle. This video is now cemented in my memory; moreover, there has yet to be an occasion following that I have not worn my seatbelt in a motor vehicle. This experience highlights exactly how these fear tactics used in driving school can be very effective. In addition, this experience demonstrates how important it is for new drivers to be aware of the possible consequences of their decisions upon entering a motor vehicle.

Aside from the importance of self-protection measures such as a seatbelt, it is also very significant to assure the safety of others while on the road as well. This can be accomplished through the disuse of the cell phone while driving, as well as neglecting any distracting activity while operating a motor vehicle. A little over a year ago I was a victim of distracted driving—at least that was the final assumption. I was driving to work one chilly December morning; the road was almost empty aside from me, in the left lane, and a car a little behind me in the right lane. I was solely paying attention to the road, enjoying my music, when abruptly I heard a loud BANG and my head was thrust towards my steering wheel. I looked up, confused, and saw a car drive rapidly past me. This was my first accident, so I was quite unsure what to do and ultimately decided to just pull into a parking lot and assess the damage. Since the car sped off there was a lack of any final answer on the specific reason why the driver was inclined to swerve to the left and hit my car, nevertheless, the only possible answer is distraction. I was lucky to have walked away from the incident unharmed, but I also walked away with more knowledge about the consequences of distracted driving.

Despite my previous experiences and my accumulated knowledge about driving safety, I am still not a perfect driver and there are numerous things that I, as well as my peers, can approve upon to lower the risks of driving. An example of something that I and other individuals can easily do to eliminate the risks of distraction is putting the cell phone completely out of sight while driving. Oftentimes, it seems harmless to simply glance at a notification for a few seconds while operating a motor vehicle. However, that few seconds is as long as it takes for a fatal wreck to occur. Placing the cell phone in the back seat, underneath the seat, or a side cup holder perhaps, exterminates this danger of distraction.

Ultimately, the threats produced from driving can only be eliminated by everyday individuals. The more individuals that are informed about the simple fixes that can be made to eliminate distraction, the safer the roads become. One course of action that could be taken is creating social media campaigns that present real life accidents that were caused by simple distractions. Social media is a great way to spread awareness on issues such as this because it is the best way to access the impressionable youth who often participate in distracted driving. Some may complain that showing accidents will solely scare viewers and lack effectiveness; however, despite the fact that presenting this could instill fear, fear is what keeps people safe. It will primarily educate and inform on the reality of the matter, which is the most significant result. This in turn will aid in the goal of getting all individuals on board with making the roads a safer place.