Drive Like Hell and You’ll Get There

Educating
drivers is the first step in reducing deaths related to auto
accidents. Many people, unfortunately, simply don’t think about the
consequences of driving recklessly while they’re on the road. It’s
vital to correct this behavior because if people don’t even have
these consequences on their mind, they’re less likely to be aware
of their driving habits. Education is necessary to remind individuals
of the impact their actions on the road can have. Something as simple
as a safety pamphlet and/or a short questionnaire being issued when
renewing a driver’s license, rather than just when initially
testing for a license, would give the driving population a periodical
refresher on rules and regulations of the road. Currently, there is
only a vision test along with a new photograph and fingerprints when
renewing one’s license. This means that many drivers haven’t
received a refresher on safety rules since they were sixteen years
old or first received their license. What a terrifying thought, given
that the majority of drivers in the United States today are 20 to 54
years old. Most people in the US have been affected in some way by a
driving related incident. On a personal note, my own grandmother’s
brother was hit and killed by a middle-aged lawyer who was distracted
by his phone while driving. That’s not the demographic you’d
expect to be so negligent as to use their phone when driving. While
teenagers are important to target about safe driving, and a strong
place to start, that’s not the only group of drivers in need of the
information. When I took my permit test, my dad looked over it and
said he didn’t know the answers to many of the questions. He’s a
very safe driver but simply because of the time since it was his turn
to study and be tested, he’s forgotten many of the less commonly
seen rules. In addition, those who aren’t aware or paying attention
to the statistics of driving related deaths are most likely to be the
people who are selfish on the road and having disregard for others on
the road. There’s a toxic train of thought that if one is driving
recklessly, they themselves will be the only one that is hurt, which
is absolutely not true. Most of the time, they hurt someone else more
than they even hurt themselves. It’s incredibly selfish to not pay
attention to the stakes when driving which is why the phrase “drive
like hell and you’ll get there” has really stuck with me. To
increase safety on the roads, since it’s unlikely we’ll be
getting refresher quizzes when renewing our licenses, it’s
important for everyone to take responsibility for their road safety.
Also, if someone is driving with their friends or family and they’re
driving recklessly, it becomes their duty to help and encourage their
loved one to acknowledge how reckless and selfish their actions are.
Even if it offends in the moment, it could save lives.