Name: Madison Hill
From: Ocala , Florida
Votes: 0
In
The Driver’s Seat
Driving
is like holding a loaded gun to someone’s head. It can fire at any
point even with a slight movement, which completely a-lines with
seriousness of driving. When we learn to drive, instructors and our
parents drill into our heads of the importance of staying alert and
following laws. Unfortunately, as time goes on teens and adults seem
to lose grasp of the significance of truly paying attention and being
a safe driver. The NSC estimates that about 40,000 people in 2018
alone were killed due to car
accidents. This is an outrageous number that could easily be avoided
through education and understanding of duty
as a
driver. Through official driver safety courses novice drivers will be
taught all
traffic rules
and the importance of following them, whereas
in training with just a parent topics may be left out. As for
experienced drivers, reviewing drivers ed can assist them
with learning new laws and refreshing their memory. Either way taking
a course will help to reduce deaths because drivers will be more
informed and more aware of situations around them. Education is the
first step in becoming a safer driver. Without a solid foundation of
education a person can immediately become
reckless because they may not be updated with the newest laws. If one
is educated in driver’s safety, when a stressful situation occurs
they are most likely to have the smarter reaction. According to Drive
Smart Georgia “drivers ed is associated with a lower
incidence of both crashes and convictions-reducing crashes
by 4.3% and convictions by nearly 40%.” The next stride to reduce
deaths is to fully pay attention to the road, meaning no texting and
driving, blaring music, or distracting passengers. Drivers also need
to follow the speed limit because it exists for
a very
specific reason.
By exceeding the speed limit one automatically puts everyone around
them at risk, even if the driver believes they are experienced enough
to handle the situation. Personally, I have never been in a major car
accident but I have heard horror stories due to irresponsible
driving. One evening my friend was speeding down a dark winding road
and missed a turn, causing him to drive straight through a fence
barely missing a massive oak tree. Unfortunately, many of my friends
do drive recklessly
by constantly
being on their phone and speeding. As for me, I attended a driver’s
education class before I received my license, so the first step I can
take to be a safe driver is to refresh my knowledge through reviewing
material periodically. Understanding the material and implementing it
are two different things and I believe drivers often forget the
importance of enforcing these safety steps. Another step I can take
is to put away my main distraction, which would be my phone. I can
set up my music or make
a phone
call before I begin driving so I can have my full attention on the
road. The next step would be to continue to stay focused and not
allow new
text messages
to divert my attention. Additionally, I
need to
pay closer attention to the speed limit and stay disciplined to not
speeding even when I feel I should be moving faster. Overall, driving
is a serious responsibility and shouldn’t be treated nonchalantly
.Drivers ed courses
and following
these steps will create a safer environment and prevent unnecessary
deaths.
