What We Can Do to Prevent Car Accidents

It is a quiet scary fact that more people have died from car accidents in the United States in one single year, than the total amount of American soldiers that fell in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even though most people drive as if it would be the safest thing in the world, the reality is that driving is dangerous. The most important thing, in order to reduce car accidents and the consequences of driving accidents is education.

I was born and raised in Germany and this is also where I learned how to drive. One thing that actually shocked me when I came to the United States back in 2019 was how easy it is here to get a driver license. In Germany, we had to get a minimum of ten lectures as well as a minimum of 14 driving lessons before we were even allowed to take the driving test. Driving lessons are not mandatory in the US, which leaves me with the question where a teenager is supposed to learn how to drive safely. I think that both, the theory lectures as well as the driving lessons are a very important part of learning how to drive safely. It gave me a sense of comfort and confidence because I knew I have been through all these lessons that were designed to get me ready for the real-world driving.

However, I also understand that driving education cannot eliminate all accidents. The roads are often unpredictable and sometimes there is nothing one can do in order to prevent an accident. At the same time, I feel like it would definitely reduce the amount of car accidents if more people have the theoretical knowledge of how to react in certain situations. This would not eliminate all accidents as you need to react differently in every scenario, but it could reduce the number of accidents.

Driver education also includes how to react in case an accident actually happened. An accident does not automatically mean death. Every driver should be taught how to react if they are involved in an accident (or see an accident happen). Quick reacting can literally safe the life of other people. This includes basic things like giving first aid, how to let other drivers know that an accident occurred, etc. I believe that such an education can reduce the number of deaths.

Adding mandatory driving lessons as well as theory lectures would be one way to reduce the amount of car accidents. Another way would be to increase the age restriction for driving. While you have to be 18 years old in Germany, you can start driving independently with 16 years in the US. This is such a young age for driving on the road. Event though most cars in the US are automatic cars, I do not think that 16-year-old teenagers should be allowed to drive alone. At this age, people are often influenced by their peers to do “crazy” things that they most likely regret at a later point in their life. This can include speeding or performing stunts with a car. Things like that do not only put the driver and their passengers at risk, but also everyone else who is driving on the road at this moment. With 16, people often make decisions that they regret later on (for example, driving after consuming alcohol), which is not necessarily a bad thing, but when it comes to driving and people’s life is involved, it gets dangerous.

More speed cameras are also an option. There are not as many speed cameras in the US as there is needed. This makes speeding more likely. Even though there are police officers who pull over drivers that are speeding, I do not think it is as effective as speed cameras. Speed cameras can be hidden which forces drives to drive within the speed limit since they do not know where the speed camera could be.

Luckily, I have never been involved in a car accident. I usually drive responsible and within the speed limit. However, I have seen many friends driving irresponsibly. I noticed that this usually happens when more than two people are in the car. Often, the driver wants to show off in front of their friends. This is also a reason, why I believe driving at 16 is too early, as this happens less, once people start to mature.

The most effective steps to become a safer driver are to stay within the speed limit and follow the general rules, such as stop at a stop sign and do not drive at a red light. If everyone would follow these rules, the amount of deaths because of car accidents would decrease. It is also important that people speak up to their friends if they feel uncomfortable in a car because the driver is not following the rules. Not everyone likes to speak up in such a situation, but it can save your life and the life of others.