Choose life, Not the Phone

You most likely have no idea who is driving the car right next to you. They could be a grown adult with years of experience, or a sixteen-year-old who just got their license last week. No matter what the case, every single person on the road should be properly educated in the field of driver education. Yet, how do we define proper drivers ed? Some individuals define this education as teaching their young child how to drive the family pickup through empty pastures. Others earn their education by meeting with a drivers education instructor and doing endless hours of practice driving with them. When it really comes down to it, the majority of people don’t truly comprehend the importance of proper driving education.

According to The New York Times, nothing kills more teenagers than car crashes. With this being said, it is dire, to say the least, that these teens are at least being taught proper driving safety. However, this can be a difficult task to complete. There is no national standard for drivers ed courses. Meaning that in many states, teens and even adults often side step important steps when going through the process of getting a license. Such as skipping the required hours of practice with a certified instructor.

This is an issue that needs immediate attention. Without proper training behind the wheel, the number of deaths in teens and adults skyrockets. For the safety of everyone on the road, there needs to be solid national standards for every person acquiring a license. This is only one step of many that should be taken in order to make our roads a safer place. One other large factor in driving related deaths is the use of cellphones while driving. In the state of Tennessee, it is against the law to even be holding your phone whilst driving. This law should be present in all fifty states. Decreasing the use of cellphones being used behind the wheel can decrease the amount of deaths drastically. According to the research of the National Safety Council, cell phone usage while driving leads to around 1.6 million crashes each year. One out of every four accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving (edgar snyder & associates).

With all of this being said, the United States has much to do in order to lessen the dangers of the road. However, there are several steps that YOU can take in order to be a safe driver. The first step being to always go through with the proper driving education. Meaning putting in the practice hours, taking the written test, and learning from the books. The next step everyone young and old needs to follow is drastically decreasing the amount of cell phone use behind the wheel. Lastly, keep in mind that your life and the lives of others is truly in the palm of your hands when you turn that car on. Follow the proper safety steps so that your next cruise, road trip, or errand run won’t be your last.