Driver Safety

It is estimated that 3,700 people die each day from automobile accidents, making up about 1.3 million deaths per year worldwide. Though this number is high, it only includes the number of deaths, and not people that have survived and just sustained injuries acquired from these accidents. Human life is precious, and no one deserves to have it cut short, especially while doing something that is essential to living. The more people know about the rules of the road and how to navigate certain situations while on the road, the more the incidents can be avoided. These incidents include the most tragic one of all, which is death. To know that someone’s life can be so swiftly taken away at the cause of your hands being on the wheel is such a scary thing to live with, so it’s best if this can be avoided at all costs. The way to avoid such a tragedy is as simple as just informing yourself and being more aware of your surroundings. If everyone does this, it can reduce the number of driver-related deaths.

Measures that can be considered to reduce the number of deaths related to driving are easier than what most people might be thinking. People might think they have to take drastic measures and know every single rule about driving, but as the old saying goes, “it takes a village,” so everyone has to do their part. Although there are issues that only people holding power in important positions, such as government officials, can fix, there are still solutions that can go a long way as far as keeping people informed. One of these includes raising public awareness. As you drive on the road, there are many billboards that remind drivers to avoid texting and driving, but the issue with these is that we pass by them in a second, and they hardly leave a unique impression so our brains are trained to forget it within the next second. A way to fix this issue is to push more information on social media. Even if someone doesn’t have a large following, just one simple reminder can affect one person and cause them to be more aware of the drivers around them. Another way to spread the word is by having driver schools and educational institutions promote driver education and training. Any additional training or campaigns could include what kind of drivers to look out for and be wary of, traffic laws, the risks of intoxicated or distracted driving, and going over traffic rules. Doing so could improve driving safety and new driver awareness and could greatly reduce casualties.

I thankfully have never been in a car crash, and neither have any of my family members. However, there is a memory that comes to mind. It was another ordinary day and my mom was driving while me and my brother were in the backseat not paying any attention. Afterall, why would we? It was just supposed to be like any other day. All of the sudden, out of the corner of my eye I began to see a truck coming very close to us very fast. Thankfully, my mom was paying attention and slammed on the breaks, causing us to recoil. The rest of the car ride was silent as we were still reeling from what happened, but to think that if the other driver was paying attention, it could have saved us from the fright. My mom as well as my brother don’t really remember this day, but it has stuck with me ever since.

I think of this incident when I want to remember how important it is to be safe while on the road. For a very brief moment, we were all filled with such a fear, and I wouldn’t want to be the one to put anyone else in that situation. There is also something that comes to mind when I think of methods to being a safe driver. My moms car doesn’t have any airbags in the front seat since it’s an old car. Due to this being a safety hazard, she doesn’t allow me to sit in the front seat. It’s always the topic of a joke in our family, and I’d be lying if I didn’t make jokes myself but, every time it’s brought up, my mom always says it’s for safety and she never backs down from that point. I can remind myself that it’s ok to ask questions if I’m unsure of something, no matter how simple it may seem to help myself become a better driver.