Around 1.3 million people die a year in car crashes. This could be maybe due to some failure on the car but I believe it is mostly lack of education on driving that causes this. Many people these days don’t even have licenses and just drive illegally on the streets. This can be dangerous even if you know how to “drive” because there may be small rules on the road you do not know about that can endanger everybody including yourself.
Driver education has a significant chance of reducing the number of deaths while driving. Being able to know the rules of the street and obliging by them allows everyone to be safe. For example, not everyone knows about certain things like what the distance should be from a certain car to yours while on the streets or the freeway. This could potentially be a huge life saver because being that extra distance away give you time to react to any potential danger, like someone’s car malfunctioning and stopping in the middle of the road or needing to swerve something that the car in front of you had swerved. Not keeping that certain distance (tailgating), can cause stress on both of the drivers which may lead to a fatal crash. Another example of people not knowing things is when people have to yield. For example, at a green light with no arrow, whoever is turning has to yield to incoming cars. If someone who doesn’t know this is driving, it can be extremely dangerous because they will drive right into a car rather than letting them go. They will also be the ones at fault for not following the rules. At high speeds his can be extremely fatal.
I have had one experience being in a car accident. It was my fault and I believe it could have been easily avoided if I were paying attention to the road how you are supposed to do. As I was driving I was to yield to incoming cars but as I had not been paying attention I didn’t see a car coming. Fortunately, we braked just enough to not cause too much damage but not enough to avoid each other. If I were just looking at all sides of the road I would have seen the car coming and I wouldn’t have hit him. I also have witnessed friends and family driving irresponsibly. Many people especially teenagers think speeding is okay. They don’t follow the speed limit and think its “fun” to go fast. This can be a hazard to other people and can be extremely fatal. A lot of people also cut people off after being extremely impatient which is dangerous because you can cause the other car to crash. All these things can be avoided by just being a safer and better driver. Having the right teacher and being able to practice and study for a license can truly save lives. Knowing that people are recklessly driving scares me knowing my life can be in danger.
There are many steps you can take to be a better and safer driver out in the streets. One way is to follow all the driving rules. You shouldn’t be speeding, cutting people off, and shouldn’t be impatient. All this does is lead to frustration and crashes. Another thing you can do is make sure, if you don’t already, is to get your license and practice all the time. If you are barely starting out, make sure you get a good teacher that can really help you follow the rules. Also, as a teacher when you see someone making mistakes or not following the road rules, help them learn and teach them the importance of following the rules. In the end, its going to save their lives and others lives.
Adding on to what I was saying, another thing people can do is to not honk at everything. Yes, people make mistakes at times, and it can frustrate you but that’s not what the horn is for. It is to prevent crashes and mistakes before they happen. Honking can just lead to road rage and frustration from everyone which can lead to crashing on the streets. It can also lead to unnecessary violence.
In conclusion, driving safely and having the knowledge to drive safe can reduce car crashes significantly out in the road. Knowing everything there is to know will allow not just you but others to feel safe and drive calmly as well as be careful.