Speed, Autobahn, and The Root of Unsicheren Fahrens

As a young driver who has taken driver education in Germany and the United States, the difference is night and day. In Germany, I was required to be 18 years old, pay about $2000, and could not get my drivers license until a year later after completing the requirements for drivers education. On the other hand, the United States required me to be 16 years old, take a drivers test, and immediately obtain my license upon passing. These differences demonstrate that Germany takes driving more seriously than the United States. Consequently, this is why I believe that driver education is necessary in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving.

German drivers take safety more seriously than Americans. According to a statistic dedicated to comparing the United States with Germany, they found that German drivers have a ratio of 3.9 deaths per 100,000 people, while America has a ratio of 12.4. The statistic illustrates that America has three times more deaths from car accidents than Germany. Why are deaths in Germany much lower than America? In my opinion, this occurs because Germans spend a lot of money on their driver education. After all, driving in Germany is an investment. Additionally, my father has lived in Germany since the 1990s, and he has told me that they did not have cup holders in the car. The reasoning behind not having cup holders is to force drivers to focus on their driving and not to eat or drink in the car. Cup holders were not found in vehicles till the late 90s. This reveals that Germany has reduced the number of deaths threefold because they place a high value on driver’s education. Continually, in America, they believe that driving is a right, while in other nations such as Germany, they hold that driving is a privilege. In my opinion, this is the reason why Americans get into more car accidents.

To reduce the number of deaths related to driving, the United States must place higher importance on driver education. If the United States takes driver education more seriously and abides by the rules taught in the classes, it will result in a lower death rate caused by reckless driving. I have been driving in the United States, and the biggest problem I have noticed is people drive slow in the left lane. Driving slow in the left lane (which is the passing lane) results in car accidents. Additionally, the problem is not the traffic rules or the driving system. The problem stems from the person behind the wheel. I have noticed that some drivers in America are on edge, which causes reckless driving. The United States also does not have a sense of community on the road. This is comparable to Germany because when people need to merge into a different lane they let them in, while in America this is not the case. Driving in the United States is more individualized. Essentially, American drivers need to be more selfless on the road.

Moreover, I have been in a car accident. The reasoning for the car accident was my dad was not aware of the rules because of the lack of driver education he received in school. He failed to yield to the person on his right and caused a collision. Luckily, no one was seriously injured; however, we had a minor concussion and a few scrapes and bruises. Since this accident occurred before I had my driver license, it shaped the idea of taking the rules of the road seriously. Now that I can drive, I tend to be cautious and feel a moral obligation for the safety of those around me. The steps I have taken to be a better and safer driver for those around me are leaving room between my car and the car in front of me in case of sudden stops, I only drive in the left lane when I need to pass because in Germany there are cars that are driving considerably faster than other cars due to no speed limit on the autobahn (if you cause an accident the person driving slower in the left lane gets the ticket), when I come to a stop sign, I come to a complete stop while others perform roll through, and I avoid distractions in my car and wait till I am at my destination to answer my phone. These steps I take to be a better and safer driver are what I encourage my friends and family to follow in their daily driving.

Ultimately, the root of deaths caused by car accidents stems from the lack of driver education and the driver’s attitudes and aptitude on the road. If the United States were to place more importance on the steps young drivers must follow to obtain their driver’s license, they can learn to value safety when driving on the roads. In addition to that, teaching young drivers to be cautious on the road shapes them into better and safer drivers. In setting these precautionary standards at an early age, they will not be negligent drivers and it will encourage those around them to follow in their footsteps.