The Price of Irresponsibility

Driving is a privilege that does not come without a cost. Irresponsible drivers claim thousands of lives every year, and the death toll is only rising. I was fortunate in that none of my friends or family have ever been seriously harmed in a car accident, but can the countless motherless children, childless fathers, widowed mothers, and eternally separated friends say the same? Spoiler alert: they can’t. People don’t come back to life. Even the smallest mistake on the road can kill, so why don’t people take the dangers of the road seriously? What would you do if your mother, sister, father, or brother was killed due to someone frivolously texting while driving? Would you be indignant and rage against the heavens, or would you simply shrug your shoulders and say “It is what it is?” Well, millions of people are killed in accidents like that every year, yet nobody seems to care.

Irresponsible driving is a hidden epidemic that has plagued our nation for decades. Young people, ignorant of the reality of death, revel in their temporary indulgences and drive recklessly for “fun” with no regard for the terrible consequences that would happen were they to make a mistake. However, it’s not just them: even veteran drivers often overestimate their skills and end up roadkill. The citizens of America need to realize that despite its prevalence in modern society, driving is not a right, but a privilege. And with most privileges, they aren’t given without restraint. Before one is allowed to be on the road, he or she should be aware of the associated dangers and responsibilities that come in tandem with it.

The easiest way to enlighten the masses on the topic of driving safety is obviously driver’s ed courses. These lessons have undoubtedly saved countless lives by simply enlightening or reminding drivers about the repercussions of audacious driving, and if it were to be promoted more than it is now, the number of lives saved would also be increased. This claim is backed up by a recent study conducted by the Nebraska Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse. This study found that drivers who had not completed a driver’s safety course were 75 percent more likely to receive a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal injury or accident, and 16 percent more likely to be part of accident when compared to drivers who had completed at least one driver’s safety course. Obviously, drivers who had studied driver’s education have a clear advantage in the safety department over those who hadn’t.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to convince every driver in the nation to take driver’s education. Thus, it may be wise for the government to take action. Simply making driver’s ed mandatory throughout the United States would ensure that each driver had at least a basic understanding of road safety and hopefully reduce the death toll. However, there are a few more logical measures we could implement, such as creating stricter punishments for using drugs and alcohol while driving, installing cameras on the road to detect phone use, and investing in superior road infrastructure. Any one of these suggestions would improve safety on the road.

We can hope that the government will recognize the elephant in the room and work towards solving the crisis, but sometimes it’s better to take matters into your own hands. We can’t sit back and wait for the government to save us. People are dying on the roads every day. So, we need to make an impact by means of our own behavior. That means no more texting on the road, no more snacking on fast food on the way to work, no more sipping coffee while driving, no speeding, no finishing your make-up, and obviously no drugs or alcohol. We should all strive to be safer drivers, and we should communicate this with our friends and family as well. Who knows, your half-hearted reminder to your neighbors about wearing a seat belt might just save their lives one day.

In conclusion, the current state of the driving world in our nation is inhospitable and perilous. Millions of people use the privilege of driving every day, yet they often neglect to realize the ever-present possibility of their luck running out. The government can help, but we should not rely solely on them to triumph over this crisis. It is up to us to put forth our utmost effort into making the roads a safer place for our friends and family to drive on. By working together, our collective influence will significantly reduce the dangers of driving, and save many lives as a result.

Bibliography:

Reed, Leslie. “Study: Driver’s Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets.” Study: Driver’s Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets | Nebraska Today | University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 13 Aug. 2015, https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/study-driver-s-ed-significantly-reduces-teen-crashes-tickets/#:~:text=Young%20drivers%20who%20have%20not%20completed%20driver%E2%80%99s%20education,likely%20to%20have%20an%20accident%2C%20the%20study%20showed.