Driving Safety
Reducing deaths from car accidents is crucial. It is crucial because lives are at stake. As well as people's property, including homes, vehicles and other items. In 2022 over 42,000 people died in car accidents. To lower this number many different approaches can and should be implemented. From improving road infrastructure, enforcing traffic laws, promoting vehicle safety, to increasing public transportation, improving driver education through social media, and improving the design of cities.
Improvements can be made in the United States road infrastructure. For example roundabouts should replace traditional intersections. Roundabouts provide slower speeds and more attention to go through. Roundabouts would reduce high speed crashes. Bike lanes and sidewalks should also be improved. Creating safer lanes for biking and walking would reduce pedestrian fatalities. This could be done by giving pedestrians lanes farther away from main traffic. Another improvement should be adding speed bumps, specifically in neighborhoods and near stores and other areas with lots of walking and biking traffic. Traffic cameras should also be implemented, such as speed cameras. Other improvements should be made by enforcing traffic laws. Especially speeding tickets, and lowering speed limits in pedestrian areas. Also having stricter enforcement of DUI’s.
Improvements in vehicle safety and public transportation should also be considered. Such as mandating automatic emergency braking, and encouraging vehicles with high safety ratings. Alternate options of transportation should be improved. For example cycling, walking, trains, buses, carpooling and ridesharing. Improvements could be made to increase the incentive for choosing these other options, as well as making them safer and more convenient. To make these options more convenient city planning would have to be refocused on pedestrians and not cars. Drivers ed should also be addressed. Drivers should be retested periodically. Especially drivers that are older and/or have health issues. Defensive driving and how to share the road should also be taught to drivers.
Raising awareness for distracted driving can be done in many different ways. For example we can raise awareness by sharing personal experiences and emotional impacts of distracted driving. Whether it be through ads, movies, or short videos. Showing the lives that were drastically changed and people who lost loved ones from distracted driving. Using powerful imagery, videos and testimonials on social media will help humanize the consequences of distracted driving. Sharing people’s real life stories will help distracted driving gain awareness. Using social media would be the best way to raise awareness for distracted driving. Platforms such as Instagram, Tik Tok and Youtube are used everyday. Posting on these platforms will get these problems noticed. Just now I went onto Instagram looking for an account related to distracted driving. I could not find one. My guess is that there are accounts out there, but they are hard to find. Maybe because they don’t post as much as they should, or maybe their posts are not eye-catching. Using popular influencers such as music artists, actors, sports players and others will help people notice the problem that is distracted driving. Hashtags would also be useful in raising awareness. Hashtags such as #Don’tTextAndDrive or #EyesOnTheRoad.
Some other ways we can raise awareness for distracted driving are hosting events. Events such as simulations and interactive experiences. These events could be held in colleges, schools, drivers education, and even the workplace. In these events technology such as virtual reality and other simulations like Ansys and Simulink could be used to show the effects of distracted driving. For example in the simulations a person could be driving and different distractions could show up on screen. While the driver is distracted the simulation could have another car slam on their brakes, or a light change. Which would result in an accident. I believe for people to not drive distracted they would have to experience the effects of distracted driving for themselves. Let them see the damage they could do, the lives they could hurt, and the people impacted. Promoting the use of blocking apps would also lower the risk of distracted driving. Blocking apps would turn off distractions such as text messages and other notifications. Both apple phones and androids also have “do not disturb while driving”. Educating drivers on these apps and programs would limit distractions. Especially if these apps could be required for drivers.
I have had many experiences with irresponsible driving. One of such experiences was when I was driving me and my sister to school. I was making a left hand turn onto a busy street. I turned to say something to my sister. In doing so I took my eyes off the road and was distracted by what she was saying. Once I took my eyes off of the road I didn’t realize that the truck in front of me had come to an abrupt stop. I ended up hitting the back of the truck and damaging my car. I had to pay a ticket for distracted driving, and fix both my car and the truck involved. I ended up JB welding the front of my car back together all by myself. Having this experience taught me that no conversation is as important as keeping your eyes on the road. The distractions can wait, but the other cars on the road cannot. After this experience I decided I was not going to be a distracted driver anymore. While driving my friends I make sure all of them are buckled in. I keep my eyes on the road, no matter how funny the conversation is. I make sure my phone is plugged in so I can use siri for any of my needs. If my phone ever becomes a distraction, I put it in my back seat where I cannot use it. I'll use the radio instead and listen to the pre-programed stations.
Reducing deaths by car accidents is crucial. Lives are a stake, as well as property and belongings. Reducing deaths can come from improving road infrastructure, enforcing traffic laws, promoting vehicle safety, to increasing public transportation, improving driver education, and design of cities. As well as raising awareness through social media and events.