Round 3
Driver Education Initiative – Different Solutions for Different Problems
John Hood
Enterprise, AL
I remember being in my first car crash. I was with my friend, Jacob. We had been coming back from the mall with some other friends when we hydroplaned and swerved out of control. We were only a few feet away from crashing into the entrance of a gated neighborhood.
I asked why this had happened, but I already knew why. We were teenagers playing around on the road. We didn't believe we would be in a car crash! Maybe someone else, but I can handle myself, right?
As I learned that day, I was wrong. Just about any teen on the road can get into an accident. According to the Center for Disease Control, there were over 300,000 injuries teenagers involved in motor accidents. Think about how insane that number is. That's hundreds of teenagers injured every day! As technology becomes more prevalent in our society, these accidents are bound to increase. So what can we do?
One solution is to enforce stricter guidelines to earn a driver's license. Driving around an empty parking lot or a neighborhood isn't showing that you can handle yourself on the road! New drivers need to go through more thorough tests before they get their licenses. It is only when new drivers have more careful, hands-on learning that we will start having fewer accidents.
On the other hand, teenagers tend to be irresponsible on the road. Distractions are as prevalent in the car as ever; 21 percent of teen drivers involved in fatal accidents were distracted by their cell phones. Teachers of drivers ed must continue to teach the dangers of texting and driving.
One issue all drivers experience from time to time is drowsiness. Many tend to think it's ok to be a bit tired, so they continue to drive. That's why 35% of drivers are sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation isn't just a driving issue- it's an issue affecting millions of Americans! The sooner Americans start sleeping better, the more alert everyone will be on the road.
As for driving under the influence, the easiest answer is to not drive at all. Better yet, an emphasis needs to be made on the importance of designated drivers. If all else fails, get an Uber, Lyft, or a Cab. There is no excuse to drive under the influence.
Note the huge variety of issues that contribute to crashes. There is no one single solution. Driving under the influence, teenage driving, distractions in the car- These issues all have different and complicated solutions.
To bring this to a close, let's look at Jacob and I's accident. What could he have done differently to prevent an almost deadly crash? Was there anything I could have done differently? Yes to both questions! Jacob, me, and the rest of the group we were with could have avoided acting erratically on the road. We should have been more responsible and stopped playing around while we were going home. Finally, we should have left earlier at night, so we wouldn't be tired while we drove home. Now that we have learned from our mistakes, we know what is right and wrong to do on the road. I hope other people my age will realize what they're doing wrong before it's too late.
I asked why this had happened, but I already knew why. We were teenagers playing around on the road. We didn't believe we would be in a car crash! Maybe someone else, but I can handle myself, right?
As I learned that day, I was wrong. Just about any teen on the road can get into an accident. According to the Center for Disease Control, there were over 300,000 injuries teenagers involved in motor accidents. Think about how insane that number is. That's hundreds of teenagers injured every day! As technology becomes more prevalent in our society, these accidents are bound to increase. So what can we do?
One solution is to enforce stricter guidelines to earn a driver's license. Driving around an empty parking lot or a neighborhood isn't showing that you can handle yourself on the road! New drivers need to go through more thorough tests before they get their licenses. It is only when new drivers have more careful, hands-on learning that we will start having fewer accidents.
On the other hand, teenagers tend to be irresponsible on the road. Distractions are as prevalent in the car as ever; 21 percent of teen drivers involved in fatal accidents were distracted by their cell phones. Teachers of drivers ed must continue to teach the dangers of texting and driving.
One issue all drivers experience from time to time is drowsiness. Many tend to think it's ok to be a bit tired, so they continue to drive. That's why 35% of drivers are sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation isn't just a driving issue- it's an issue affecting millions of Americans! The sooner Americans start sleeping better, the more alert everyone will be on the road.
As for driving under the influence, the easiest answer is to not drive at all. Better yet, an emphasis needs to be made on the importance of designated drivers. If all else fails, get an Uber, Lyft, or a Cab. There is no excuse to drive under the influence.
Note the huge variety of issues that contribute to crashes. There is no one single solution. Driving under the influence, teenage driving, distractions in the car- These issues all have different and complicated solutions.
To bring this to a close, let's look at Jacob and I's accident. What could he have done differently to prevent an almost deadly crash? Was there anything I could have done differently? Yes to both questions! Jacob, me, and the rest of the group we were with could have avoided acting erratically on the road. We should have been more responsible and stopped playing around while we were going home. Finally, we should have left earlier at night, so we wouldn't be tired while we drove home. Now that we have learned from our mistakes, we know what is right and wrong to do on the road. I hope other people my age will realize what they're doing wrong before it's too late.
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