Name: Abby Brooks
From: Lake Stevens, Washington
Votes: 0
Driving
is a skill that many people take advantage of. The amount of
traumatizing accidents and fatalities is unfathomable. Whether it’s
due to distracted driving, operating a vehicle under the influence,
or even just speeding a “few” miles over the speed limit, these
are all reasons that drivers slip-up. Driving education is taught to
learners during the teenage years, but it generally dissolves over
the years. A common phrase that is heard from adults is “I’ve
been driving for years, that rule doesn’t apply to me,” but the
law applies to everyone. It is placed there to keep the death risk at
a minimum. There are many statistics and experiments that help
develop laws including speed limits and alcohol limitations. If these
laws are disobeyed, the risk of an accident is much higher. There is
always a reason for why a person crashes their vehicle, and it mostly
follows the same outline.
To
reduce these mishaps, drivers should be required to complete a simple
drivers ed test with each license renewal. This will
refresh memories of each law and prevent any foggy areas of
misinterpretation. Laws can change, and it is important for drivers
to be aware. Another step that can be taken to prevent
driving-related deaths is by performing self-regulated tasks that
ensure safe driving. Examples of this may include locking up a cell
phone in the trunk of the car to stop the urge to use it. This method
is very specific compared to others because it mainly focuses on
texting-related accidents. There are so many causes of motor vehicle
deaths, but the most important factor when driving safely is to
always stay focused on the road. The chances of crashing when paying
attention to the road is far lower than distracted driving.
Personally,
I have been lucky enough to have never experienced a car accident,
but I have witnessed friends texting and driving. The moment I see
the driver pull out their phone, I notice that my muscles tense up
and my feet press into the floor. It is scary for my life to be in
the hands of someone who isn’t giving all of their attention to the
road, especially with the motor death rate being so high. Frequently,
I will offer to change the song or send a text for them. But, it is
still nerve-wracking to know that there are thousands of drivers who
believe that it is acceptable to text and drive. Humans are incapable
of perfectly multi-tasking. There is no way to efficiently perform
two tasks at once.
The
best possible way to minimize the results from a car accident is to
become more aware of the dangers of distracted driving. Fear is very
important to the driving experience because it is history that
teaches us to be more careful in the future. When loved ones are
involved in accidents, it allows us to become more cautious about the
risks of unsafe driving. As a society, we should already be aware of
these dangers and not wait for the trauma that is associated with an
accident.
