Caution on the Road

Anthony
Crayton

Caution on the Road

Every
year, drivers throughout the world are Killed or injured on the road
due to irresponsible driving. Statistically our youth drivers run a
greater risk at being in a car accident than adults, as they are more
likely to not be as attentive and alert of their surroundings, and we
have yet to solve this issue. Obtaining your driver’s license is a
major milestone for all teenagers. Driving gives us the power to
explore the world and have new experiences. However, in order to
obtain this power, we must follow a strict set of laws. Driver’s
education is essential to all drivers regardless of age. It teaches
us the basics of on road knowledge such as how to communicate with
other drivers or even how to recognize all traffic signs by shape and
color. Accordingly, to Approximately, 1.6 Million people die from
road accidents every year and 3900 per day. Making car crashes the
8^th
leading cause of death in the United States. Estimating 25 to 50% of
all crashes are due to distracted driving. Drivers ed
reinforces the dangers of the road if you are not cautious and follow
traffic laws and regulations, which helps reduce the number of
fatalities from on road collisions. Furthermore, car related deaths
could be reduced by being more aware of our surroundings on the road,
not using technology such as our smart devices while driving, and
most importantly following traffic laws not limited to just stop
signs and speed zones, but precautions such as wearing your seatbelt
could all be beneficial in efforts to prevent car related casualties.
For instance, two years ago I was in a horrific accident.
Unfortunately, I was the one at fault as I was driving while texting.
Taking my attention away from the road and ultimately leading me to
run into the back of someone’s car. Although no one was injured in
this accident my irresponsible actions could have led to the injury
of not only myself but the individual I crashed into. Nevertheless,
my actions are not unique or uncommon as many people demonstrate
these reckless actions on daily basis. We must educate ourselves in
order to prevent death rates from rising, taking initiative such as
reiterating to not only our youth but all drivers. Informing people,
the importance of eliminating distractions such as smart devices,
following speed regulations, and being aware of the drivers around
them, although these tips may seem obvious, they are highly neglected
and these changes could be imperative in efforts to help prevent
people from being a hazard on the road decreasing the amount of
deaths due to irresponsible driving.