Should we Re-Think Driving?

Should we Re-Think Driving?

Driving is one task in the United States
that almost every citizen over the age of 16 understands how to
complete. Understanding how to drive a motor vehicle is an essential
part of living life anywhere throughout the United States. Need to
get to work, get groceries for your family, or are wanting to go out
to visit a friend? Drive your car. Not knowing how to drive a motor
vehicle can make daily life more complicated than it should be.

Although many U.S. citizens understand
how to drive a vehicle, it does not mean that they are safe drivers.
The concept of drivers ed is to teach new drivers how to
operate a vehicle, travel safely, and the meaning of each law. Driver
education strictly enforces the concept of safety and provides
possible outcomes if the driver is not safe. Without driver
education, new drivers would not learn how to properly operate a
vehicle and how to be a safe driver. Hence, increasing the number of
deaths.

However, besides teaching driver
education to new drivers to reduce the number of deaths related to
drivers there are more ways to accomplish this goal. Not all states
have banned texting and driving. As cell phones can serve as a great
distraction, banning any use of cell phones while driving could
increase the reaction time and attention of the driver. Therefore,
reducing the chance of crashes and deaths caused by driving. A
supporting step that could be taken to ensure safe driving is to
require licensed drivers to take tests occasionally. These tests
would be geared towards the laws of the road and to ensure the test
applicant is okay to be driving. The test would be similar to a
drivers ed test but also would include any new driving laws. By
requiring drivers to take these tests, even after they have been
driving for many years, the states can ensure those on the road
understand the laws.

I have experienced a car crash before
with my grandparents. My sister (six) and I (nine) were sitting in
the second row of the car, while my grandparents were upfront. The
car was stopped at a stoplight as we waited to turn left, onto the
road that would lead to our neighborhood. Suddenly, there was a bump
and my sister, and I were both yanked forward. Responsively, the
seatbelts stopped us from flying further than a few centimeters. We
were rear-ended, two minutes away from our home. Gratefully, no one
was injured. I remember this accident frequently and I try to drive
as a safe and smart driver every time I am on the road. I (eighteen)
do not get on my phone and I keep my music at a volume where I can
hear my surrounding sounds, in case of an emergency. I always ensure
that my passengers have their seatbelts on as their safety is as
important as mine while on the road.