The Importance of Drivers’ Awareness

Ruben Gamez

31 January 2020

The Importance of Drivers’
Awareness

Teaching drivers even the
basics of drivers ed is essential in reducing the number of
deaths because this will increase their driver awareness. Reminding
drivers how important it is to pay attention to the road will most
likely decrease the rate of deaths by car accident. Since the rise of
mobile cell-phones there has been a proportional rise in crashes
caused by drivers which were using their mobile device, therefore
keeping drivers in check with relation to their use of phones while
driving should be monitored more closely if we truly want to lower
not only the death rate but also simply just crash rates. A step
which I feel would be effective to rid a respectable amount of the
phone-caused crashes is banning the use of free-less phone holders,
the ones that go on the air-vents or the ones that are suctioned to
the windshield, because although it may allow for drivers to have
both hands on the wheel, you still have to pay attention to something
other than the road and this is what ultimately leads to crashes.
Many people who would not usually use their phone while driving now
gain the confidence to use their phones because they don’t have to
physically hold them, they can set it on the mount and look at
information or social media while maintaining “awareness of the
road”. Around three years ago I was a part of a car accident which
could have easily been evaded if certain drivers would have been more
aware. My dad, me, and my mom at the wheel were stopped at a red
light when a Lexus came behind us and tapped our rear end, nothing
major just a simple fender bender, but while we were still inside our
car a GMC sierra 2500 came up behind the Lexus and slammed into the
back of it which propelled the Lexus even further into the back of
our car causing my family whiplash and other damages for which we
were treated by medical professionals. This situation could have been
evaded if both the driver of the Lexus and especially the driver of
the GMC would have been aware of the road ahead of them and seen that
there was a red light and that there were cars stopped in front of
them. Thankfully no one was seriously injured but in other
circumstances someone could have been very easily been killed. There
are many steps I personally can take to ensure that both I and others
around me are aware of their surroundings while driving and
ultimately be a safer driver. I can set an example to others while
they are in my car by not using my phone while driving, using turn
signals when switching lanes or turning, and keeping my eyes on the
road. By doing this, I could set a guide for their driving especially
with those who don’t yet have their license because this way I can
set a sort of outline of how a driver can be safe while behind the
wheel.