Name: Matthew Richardson
From: Exeter, Devon
Votes: 0
Is driving ever truly safe? Are all road accidents and casualties
preventable? Whether you believe it is possible to drive perfectly or
not, this essay aims to address the urgency of the issue of safe
driving, laws and highlight some risks to ensure you can be the best
driver you can be.
Many will have varying opinions as to whether driving can ever be
truly safe. No opinion is right or wrong, but the question should
make you think what safety precautions can be taken to maximize
driver safety on the road.
I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as “perfect” or
“truly safe” driving. Instead, some drivers drive more safely
than others. Some are more reckless, while others are more cautious.
I would categorise myself as the latter, especially around densely
populated areas with high volumes of traffic. During my four years of
driving, I have seen far too many avoidable accidents and dangerous
driving that it appals me. Often drivers forget basic road safety and
rules that put others at risk. It is bewildering to think that many
accidents can be avoided by using indicators and simply slowing down.
A friend of mine, whom for this sake of the essay I will refer to as
Mike, has been involved in two accidents. The first one, I was with
him as a passenger, and it saw him spin out on a roundabout where he
was driving too quickly and there had been an oil spill. Thankfully,
no one was hurt in the ordeal, but it cemented his driving habits as
a huge concern of mine. The second accident happened months later,
where Mike sped home alone one night. He came off the road and rolled
his car twice before stopping in a ditch. I received a phone call
from Mike to say that he had been in an accident and his car was
destroyed. I was filled with worry and fright after the news, but I
was relieved when I saw he only had some scratches and bruises. When
I saw the state of his car, I was amazed Mike came out of the
incident alive.
Therefore, my solution to the issue of safe driving is a strict one,
but one that I believe to be necessary if we want to achieve true
safety on the roads. I believe that road laws and regulations should
be tougher, and that drivers ed should be far more rigorous. I
believe it is the only solution to stop the increase in
life-threatening collisions on UK roads. If I had the opportunity, I
would implement compulsory driver retesting every five years to
ensure every driver’s ability does not decline. In addition,
stricter theory and driving tests to ensure that there is a higher
quality of new drivers. While there likely would be a few dangerous
drivers and incidents, I believe the simple measures I suggested
would bring us closer to absolute road safety and save lives.
