“All it takes is one second taking your eyes off the road”. This is a quote that my father has repeatedly told me ever since I began to practice driving behind the wheel. It has been three years since, and those words have still stuck with me. There are several reasons why deaths occur each year behind the wheel. Whether it is from distracted driving, driving under the influence, or reckless driving, there are major steps society can take to lessen injury and/or death in these situations. Sending that one text or wanting to go home from a night out seems like a convenience at the moment but is far more dangerous to yourself and to the people around you. It is ideas like these that are the cause of deaths which can be easily preventable. 
For starters, driver education is one of the first steps in reducing the result of death from driving. It is easy for people to hear a story about a tragic occurrence from driving and believe that it will not happen to themselves until it does. From a firsthand experience, I recall during my registration for my permit license they would not allow me to proceed without watching an inspirational and informative video about real people’s experiences with drivers who were under the influence or distracted. This influenced how cautious I am while driving because it reminded me how instantly someone’s life can change from a small decision. I believe this is a helpful and reminding way that should be enforced on new and current drivers to put their actions into perspective before getting behind the wheel. Educating drivers on how frequently these tragedies occur is a beneficial way to begin the domino effect of safe driving. Sharing personal stories online on social media is an effective way to get the conversation started. On apps like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube, stories are easily accessible and can be shared amongst others instantly. Implicating social media into spreading awareness about safe driving is productive considering how prevalent it is in our society. With these personal stories being told, it gives a real person’s outlook which can induce empathy from the audience, persuading them to make smarter decisions. 
Not only is educating drivers impactful on taking the next steps, having certain resources and amenities available to you will have a positive impact on driving safely. For example, resources such as ride-shares are a great way to avoid driving under the influence. In today’s day and age, ride shares have become extremely popular and accessible. A study conducted by Michael L. Anderson and Lucas W. Davis researched the difference in intoxicated fatalities before and after rideshares became popular in society. This study found that, “2019 levels of ridesharing activity diminished the probability of a fatal alcohol-related crash by 0.043 percentage points, a 6.1 percent decrease in these fatalities” (Belsie 1). One could argue that ordering rides such as Lyft or Uber can be expensive, but costing someone’s life in the act of driving while intoxicated is priceless. The further we advance into the future, technology in cars progresses exceptionally. Amenities such as Bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay have replaced the reason to pick up your phone while driving. This will lead to less distracted driving therefore resulting in less accidents. There are also features people can set on their iPhone that automatically respond to text messages. All these resources are helpful to promote safety and minimize errors on the road. 
Within the three years I have obtained my driving license, I have had the unfortunate experience of being in a car accident twice. Both encounters were a fender bender but one of them was my fault. This was caused by distracted driving. Although there was minimal physical damage, the crash did cause anxiety on the receiving end. In the moment when I thought I was sitting at a red light distracted by something on my iPhone, I was still moving forward and hit the back of their car. Knowing that I caused someone else’s fear and anxiety, it raised my awareness towards how driving carelessly would affect others. Measurements I have taken since then and that others could follow are to make sure phones are on Do Not Disturb and out of reach, being aware of your surroundings with location and other drivers and using resources to avoid making poor decisions while driving. 
After all those years of my father’s words sticking in the back of my mind, times still come where I could improve on my driving. Safe driving does not just come down to your surroundings and new technology, but to the driver itself. It is the personal decisions that one chooses to make that lets safe driving exist. As convenient driving can be, the possible outcomes are very dangerous therefore it is very important to be self-aware. Like my father said, it only takes one second.