Did you know that driver's education is not required in every state? I believe that this should be changed because it is very important that children should take these appropriate steps to help them be safe on the road. It has been proven that states that don’t require driver education have more crashes than states that do. In the driver's education course, they make you watch videos of people who have been affected by being in a car crash which opens kids' eyes to the reality of what can happen if they aren't safe. The kids who don’t see these videos dont have that same impact on them and may drive more recklessly.
There are many things that people can do to help prevent the number of deaths while driving. First things first is staying focused. When you are behind the wheel you should only be focused on the road, so before you start driving put the songs you want on so you don’t have to change them, if you need directions have them ready and have the audio on so you don’t have to look at a screen for directions. Secondly, make sure everyone in the vehicle has their seatbelt on. Having your seatbelt on helps you in every situation when in a crash. Another thing is making sure you drive the speed limit. Excessive speeding can increase your chance of crashing. A person who gets hit by a car going 40 mph has an 85% chance of getting killed. On that note make sure you stop for pedestrians. This includes crosswalks and when approaching a stop light make sure you stop before the crosswalk and not on it because you never know when a person will start walking across one. Additionally, stop fully at stop signs. It can become a habit of not coming to a full stop but if you and another car don’t fully stop and communicate whose turn it is can cause a hefty crash. The last but not least thing we can do to prevent deaths from driving is to be sober. This includes alcohol, drugs, and substances. If you know you are going to be high or drunk make prior arrangements. Have someone else drive you or prepare an Uber to come pick you up. If you see others that are planning on driving drunk offer to take them home or take their keys. It is better to be safe than sorry.
I personally have only been in one accident. I was not majorly affected but I did have a lot of whiplash which caused a concussion from my head hitting the headrest. I was driving down a residential road when a truck in front of me stopped and then reversed back into my car. Even though my accident wasn’t big my family has been hugely affected by car accidents. Starting with my mom she was stopped at a stop light on her normal everyday route when a man who was texting while driving rear-ended her which ended up with her car totaled and was in the hospital. She now suffers from memory loss. In a second more serious accident. One day when my older cousin was out getting her mail from her mailbox by the side of the road she was hit while holding her six-month-old baby. As a result of the accident the baby ended up passing away and my cousin faced multiple life-saving surgeries. This man was distracted by something whether in his own head or on his phone took the life of a child. That is something she will never forget.
One way I can be safe on the road is by taking my ADHD medicine before I drive so I can stay focused on the road and not be in my head. Another is when driving with others offer to be on aux so you can play music from the drivers' phone so they can’t use it when they drive. Stay aware of my car, knowing its smells, seeing whether my car is going to overheat, and making sure I have gas so I dont stop in the middle of the road. Not eating while driving. If you eat while you drive you are more concerned about eating and making sure you don’t get food on you rather than being focused on driving. When coming across a yellow light and you’re not sure whether to speed up or slow down, just slow down. Slowing down makes sure you are safe from cross traffic and prevents speeding and getting a ticket from running a red light on accident. Following the laws of the road and taking precautions when driving can not only save your life but the lives of everyone around you.