
Name: Nejere' Onomakpome
From: Atlanta, GA
Votes: 0
Education, Awareness, and Leading By Example
Since I was little, I have been a rule follower. I always did exactly what the teacher asked me, whether this was lining up in a single filled line or looking at the teacher the moment she said “One” when trying to grab the class’s attention by saying “One, two, three, all eyes on me.” It was a no-brainer that when I earned my learner’s permit and now my driver’s license, I obeyed and followed the rules of the road.
Many feelings come with the anticipation of getting your learner’s permit and driver’s license. Excitement, hunger, and freedom sang in my chest as I dreamed about the ability to drive when I was 16, 17, 18, and then 19. You see, my mom did not let me take my driver’s license test, sign up for driver’s education, or even take the permit test until I was 18. Then I had to beg her to let me practice driving with my permit. I was annoyed, frustrated, and embarrassed that I could not have a driver’s license like my peers. Finally, at 19, before my permit expired, I was able to take my driver’s license test. It is not until now that I understand why she wanted to shield me from the world of driving.
When I first received my driver’s license, I wanted to put my freedom to the test and drive to every possible place I could go. Local coffee shops, go see my friends, the nearest city, even Chicago. My mom stopped me before I could reach the door, and the next words she said I could never forget were, “When you’re on the road, you have to worry about yourself and others.” Being the rule-follower I am, I was never afraid of not following the law or possibly running a stop sign because I knew I never would. But does that mean someone else would not?
As reported by Safer America in 2019, “Every year, roughly 1.3 million people die in car accidents worldwide [for] an average of 3,287 deaths per day”. The top reasons for car accidents are being distracted, reckless, and aggressive while driving; disobeying the speed limit; talking and texting on the phone; and the list goes on. When asked the question, “What are steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths while driving?” the first solution that comes to mind is eliminating distractions. Talking, loud music, arguing, and texting while driving are common distractions that have become normalized. NHTSA states, “Texting while driving increases the risk of crashing by 23 times.” Even worse, Teen Safe 2018 states, “Each day, 11 teens die in crashes caused by texting and driving.” New car models and phone features have worked to combat this issue with hands-free driving, built-in GPS navigation, and do not disturb features that prohibit calls or text messages from going through while the person is driving. Though new car models and phone features have helped decrease the number of car crashes, there is still a high number. The World Health Organization (WHO) has offered a remedy to this problem in a packet titled “Save Lives: A Road Safety Technical Package.” The WHO states that road traffic crashes are a public health issue. Save Lives focuses on small tasks that can help decrease the level of molarity surrounding car crashes. Speed management, Leadership, Infrastructure design and improvement, Vehicle safety standards, Enforcement of traffic laws, and post-crash survival are the steps issued by the WHO. This package is free and accessible, and it can be downloaded from their website in one minute. In addition, it can be translated into seven languages, ranging from Arabic to Chinese, French, Spanish, and more.
Stories have the secret power of breaking through walls of ignorance. Even with my mom’s loving and careful words, I did not fully understand the reason for safe driving until it was too late. During my first summer in college, a classmate from high school passed away suddenly. When I heard the news, I was completely heartbroken and saddened to hear that another classmate from my class had passed away. I began to ask questions to figure out what happened. I had texted my old friend, asking her about the details, and she responded, “He died in a car accident. His best friend was driving under the influence, ran a red light, crashed into a car, and he flew out the front window and died immediately on the scene.” I read this text over and over, trying to make sense of it. I could not believe my eyes. Someone I knew and grew up with is gone. Now, less than a year later, with two families who have lost both of their sons in different ways, I think to myself that there should have been more information about safe driving in my community. My age group, 18–25, is more likely to be in car accidents than any other age group that can drive. These are preventable deaths. There needs to be more education, awareness, and accessibility to programs such as Drivers Ed, where students can learn about safe driving at a young age. I propose that it be mandatory for high schools to include the possibility for students to take Driver’s Ed at the respective school. Before my freshman year of high school, my school decided to take advantage of the Drivers Ed program located at my high school. With increased accessibility, I believe students will feel encouraged to join the program. However, incentives have always worked in increasing attendance. Simple incentives such as earning school credit, a graduation cord, or even coupons to local restaurants can encourage attendance and engagement.
This is a difficult task, but it is not impossible. Students can lead by example and influence other students not to drive recklessly. There are solutions available to decrease this public health problem of road car crashes; education, awareness, and leading by example are great tools to combat the issue of road crashes.