What is the importance of driver education in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving?
To me drivers education is very important to the safety of you and everyone around yourself when driving any vehicle. It helps you learn how to drive defensively, protecting yourself, and helps you become more vigilant to protect the people you are driving around. The main thing that stuck out to me when I took driver's education is that you should not drive drunk or under the influence of drugs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that almost 12 thousand people died in 2024 alone and every one of those deaths could have been prevented if the driver did not drive drunk that night and instead called a taxi or a friend to go home. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 125 million people drive drunk every year where each of those drives could result in the deaths of multiple people all at once.
What steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving?
I think some important steps that can be taken to reduce the deaths related to driving depend a lot on the person driving the vehicle. Being alert and active when driving a vehicle is a must when driving to prevent deaths. It allows you to respond to an event as quickly as you can, possibly saving multiple lives.
I think that we should have children learn the dangers of drunk driving at a younger age with things like hands on demos. When I was in health class in High School before I got my driver’s license, the school resource officer came in and had us all walk in a straight line with drunk goggles on, showing us what drivers see when driving under the influence. It really had an impact on how I thought of driving and how distracting being impaired could be. While wearing the goggles it made even simple tasks harder to complete and even made some of the other kids dizzy. If more children had the opportunity to talk one on one with people like a school resource officer that has had to respond to actual car wrecks, I think that it would make the children think twice about driving distracted or under the influence when they got old enough to drive themselves.
Specifically, better public transit options could also reduce fatalities. Public transit is way too hard to be able to use in my location; we do not have a bus system and our ride-share options are extremely limited. With private drivers being the only option, it is cost prohibitive and very elusive in my area. I believe this is the case in many of the more rural areas of the United States. I imagine if you were drinking or under the influence it would be much harder to navigate public transportation in areas with limited options available. Even in a larger City, public transportation can be confusing for those visiting or unused to the routes and costs. Ideally, it should be as easy as calling someone or just pressing a button on an app. Other areas of the world have much better public transportation and the United States could use improvement in that area.
Have you ever had an experience of being in a car accident or have seen your friends or family members driving irresponsibly?
One time I remember my family got in a car accident was when I was little and my family was taking a car trip to the zoo. We had stopped at a stop sign but the person behind us had not noticed until too late and had hit us. It scared me and my brother so much that my brother started crying as my parents got out of the car to talk to the other driver. They were very nice about it and no one was hurt and it didn’t damage the car that much but it could have been much worse if they weren't paying as much attention and didn’t slow down.
What steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road?
Steps that I think that you can take to become a better driver is to take drivers ed and be alert at all times while driving. Things that I can do to stay alert is to make sure that I am not speeding and stay off my phone. Being distracted yourself can be bad but being in a car with a distracted driver is also bad so that’s why it is also important to not be afraid to tell friends and family when they are driving distracted or should not be driving at all. It is important to tell them because sometimes people don’t realize just how distracted they are or they think they are going to be ok but you would need to tell them it isn’t. Speak up and save a life.
To me drivers education is very important to the safety of you and everyone around yourself when driving any vehicle. It helps you learn how to drive defensively, protecting yourself, and helps you become more vigilant to protect the people you are driving around. The main thing that stuck out to me when I took driver's education is that you should not drive drunk or under the influence of drugs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that almost 12 thousand people died in 2024 alone and every one of those deaths could have been prevented if the driver did not drive drunk that night and instead called a taxi or a friend to go home. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 125 million people drive drunk every year where each of those drives could result in the deaths of multiple people all at once.
What steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving?
I think some important steps that can be taken to reduce the deaths related to driving depend a lot on the person driving the vehicle. Being alert and active when driving a vehicle is a must when driving to prevent deaths. It allows you to respond to an event as quickly as you can, possibly saving multiple lives.
I think that we should have children learn the dangers of drunk driving at a younger age with things like hands on demos. When I was in health class in High School before I got my driver’s license, the school resource officer came in and had us all walk in a straight line with drunk goggles on, showing us what drivers see when driving under the influence. It really had an impact on how I thought of driving and how distracting being impaired could be. While wearing the goggles it made even simple tasks harder to complete and even made some of the other kids dizzy. If more children had the opportunity to talk one on one with people like a school resource officer that has had to respond to actual car wrecks, I think that it would make the children think twice about driving distracted or under the influence when they got old enough to drive themselves.
Specifically, better public transit options could also reduce fatalities. Public transit is way too hard to be able to use in my location; we do not have a bus system and our ride-share options are extremely limited. With private drivers being the only option, it is cost prohibitive and very elusive in my area. I believe this is the case in many of the more rural areas of the United States. I imagine if you were drinking or under the influence it would be much harder to navigate public transportation in areas with limited options available. Even in a larger City, public transportation can be confusing for those visiting or unused to the routes and costs. Ideally, it should be as easy as calling someone or just pressing a button on an app. Other areas of the world have much better public transportation and the United States could use improvement in that area.
Have you ever had an experience of being in a car accident or have seen your friends or family members driving irresponsibly?
One time I remember my family got in a car accident was when I was little and my family was taking a car trip to the zoo. We had stopped at a stop sign but the person behind us had not noticed until too late and had hit us. It scared me and my brother so much that my brother started crying as my parents got out of the car to talk to the other driver. They were very nice about it and no one was hurt and it didn’t damage the car that much but it could have been much worse if they weren't paying as much attention and didn’t slow down.
What steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road?
Steps that I think that you can take to become a better driver is to take drivers ed and be alert at all times while driving. Things that I can do to stay alert is to make sure that I am not speeding and stay off my phone. Being distracted yourself can be bad but being in a car with a distracted driver is also bad so that’s why it is also important to not be afraid to tell friends and family when they are driving distracted or should not be driving at all. It is important to tell them because sometimes people don’t realize just how distracted they are or they think they are going to be ok but you would need to tell them it isn’t. Speak up and save a life.
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Behind the Wheel: Embracing the Real Responsibilities of the Road
Alexander Mirzoian
