All for a bit of Fun

The average American driver will be involved in 3-4 crashes in their lifetime, and about 40,000 people die every year on our roads. The US has a growing problem with traffic safety. We have a disproportionate amount of crashes compared with other developed nations. There are a few things that the United States can do to improve car safety, like using cameras, investing in public transit, making safer vehicles, and changing the way we teach drivers in America.

A great example we can look to for improving car safety is the EU. The median European Union nation experiences less than 80 deaths per million people from accidents, it’s 1.5x that amount for the median US state. The nature of transportation in the two regions is partly responsible for this. The United States is well known for its choice to invest in car-centered infrastructure rather than rail. The EU, however, chooses public transit more often. In traffic fatalities per mile traveled light rail is 30x safer than driving, and riding a bus is 60x safer.¹ Distracted and drunk driving combined account for more than half of all accidents; public transportation lessens the chance of poor decisions. Accidents are far less common, and since Americans must drive to get to most places, transportation is more dangerous. Public transit would also help to get drunk drivers off the road by providing a safe alternative. Beyond this though, the European Union also has fewer highways overall. Less high-speed driving means that the crashes that do occur are less intense. A widespread and coordinated shift to public transportation is one of the biggest steps we can take to reduce traffic deaths.

The current driver education curriculum in the US has done great work in reducing accidents on the road. Informing students of the statistics of drunk or distracted driving is very important in discouraging them to do so. One area the current curriculum may improve in is accident prevention. Students are often not taught how to prevent a looming accident or what to do in scary situations. Learning to find creative solutions in the blink of an eye is something that only comes with experience, this is part of why driving is the leading cause of death among teenagers.

Another good idea is to require ongoing driver education for those with licenses. Mandating a small lesson once every 5-10 years might help prevent accidents. These lessons could be used to re-teach the importance of remaining focused on the road, and avoiding DUI. Teenage drivers should also receive some driving lessons even after getting their licenses, as 1/4th think driving is scary. Shifting the punishment for offenses from fines to community service may also help create a lasting impact on drivers about the importance of safe driving.

Cities and states can enact legislation that might encourage safe driving. Texting and driving laws were strongly associated with a 3% reduction in traffic deaths among all groups. Speed cameras are also used in various places. At camera sites, crashes decreased by 19% and fatal/serious crashes by 44%. Cameras are also useful to eliminate human biases like racism.² This solution reduces police interaction too, allowing them to spend time elsewhere.

State legislatures and city councils may also pass bills and enact laws regulating cars themselves. Some technology that could be mandated blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and smart cruise. This exact policy was enacted with seatbelts. As a result, injuries and deaths by motor vehicles decreased significantly. The car can react when a driver can’t, whether they’re distracted, or incapacitated. Requiring these installations in all new cars will improve safety in the long term.

I have only ever been a part of one accident. I wasn’t driving, but my dad was. We were in an amusement park parking lot when a car ran a stop sign and t-boned us around a blind corner. The driver was 17 and going 20 miles over the posted speed limit. He even had three younger kids in the car with him. That experience scared me though, more than I thought it would. I saw myself in the other driver; I realized that could’ve been me: driving recklessly for a bit of fun. It helped me realize the magnitude of driving, one poor decision can cost lives. The experience is always with me when driving.

Even if it seems like going 10 over the speed limit is not that big of a deal, it might cost you the millisecond you needed to react to a threat. Everyone finds themselves following too closely or going too fast sometimes. The question I always ask myself is, would I rather get to school 1 minute faster, or risk waking up paralyzed in a hospital bed? At the end of the day, speeding, texting, or drinking while driving is not worth the risk. It’s always better to stay safe to make it home to your family safe.