Reducing Lives with Drivers Ed and Safety Behaviors

I firmly believe in receiving excellent drivers education whether it be provided at your high school or a local driving school prior to getting your drivers license as a means to help reduce the number of deaths as a result of driving. Having been blessed with a high school that provided drivers education and behind-the-wheel for students, I was able to be much better prepared for when I received my drivers license and went out on the road for the first time alone. I practiced for at least 50 hours with my mom which proved to be very beneficial because she gave me lots of tips based on her years of driving experience. If your high school does not provide drivers education, as many do not, going to a local driving school is a wonderful alternative for a very low cost. They also provide online traffic school courses as well if that’s something you’re in need of. I also believe in taking refresher courses and defensive driving courses throughout the future to keep abreast of any changing rules of the road, signage, and safety. Many insurance companies provide a discount on your auto insurance for taking an approved defensive driving course when you reach age fifty-five.

I also strongly believe in safety while driving. It was engrained in me by my mom who worked for a large insurance company for 32 years. She handled many auto accident claims that resulted in major injuries and/or death that could have been avoided had the drivers taken even the littlest of steps to ensure their safety, as well as the safety of others on the road.

Distraction is a key factor in over 50% of crashes involving drivers ages 16 – 19. I believe parents can help by educating their teens on explaining the importance of following these defensive driving tips to help reduce their risk behind the wheel when it comes to texting and driving: 1. Talk to them about the dangers of texting and driving and provide them with the shocking statistics and facts about teenagers who are distracted drivers 2. Set an example yourself by not using your phone while driving, kids are always watching and picking up habits of their parents 3. Set consequences and enforce them if they are caught using their phone while driving 4. Tell them to reserve their phone for emergency use only 5. Limit the number of passengers in their car 6. Avoid eating while driving 7. Pull off the road if sleepy 8. Pick their playlist before starting their car 9. Map their route before starting their car 10. Turn their phone on silent 11. Download a self-locking app or app that helps drivers to stop texting while driving 12. Keep notifications off when driving.

Social media use, for all ages, while driving is another huge concern as well. It is especially dangerous because it uniquely blends all 3 types of distractions: 1. Visual – any time you take your eyes off the road (eyes on the screen) 2. Manual – any time you take your hands off the wheel (holding your phone and scrolling) and 3. Cognitive – any time you take your mind off the road (thinking about the content on the phone). These increase your risk of ignoring traffic lights or stop signs, jumping curbs or swerving into other lanes and/or failing to stop in time and rear-ending vehicles because you’re not looking at the road. Here are some quick tips that I feel can help avoid a social media distracted-driving related crash: 1. Turn on the “Driving Focus” setting – most smartphones today are equipped with settings that will not allow your phone to receive notifications while driving, activate these to stay safe on the road 2. Put your phone in a glove box – if having your phone close by is too much temptation, simply put it in the glove box for the duration of the ride and 3. If you are 18+, connect your smartphone with your car’s Bluetooth technology – by utilizing these services, you stay hands free, which reduces the visual and manual distractions, but still beware of cognitive distractions. Just following the above mentioned defensive driving tips can save your life and the lives of those around you.

I personally have not been in an auto accident yet, but my mom told me about the 2 that she was in. She explained that when she was 16 she was driving through an intersection and was broad-sided by another vehicle. Her car swerved into the path of a tree. She hit the tree and subsequently hit her face on the steering wheel because she wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. She was pretty badly injured, enough to be taken to the hospital where she received several stitches on her nose. She talks about that accident to this day comparing it to another accident she was in just a few years later, but this time she was wearing her seatbelt and didn’t sustain any injuries whatsoever, not even a scratch. That made me realize the importance of wearing a seatbelt. I never put my car in drive until my seatbelt is on. I truly believe wearing a seatbelt is one of the most important behaviors in reducing the reducing injuries and saving lives on the road.