“With great power comes great responsibility,” a phrase that’s popularized by Spider-man in Marvel and is seen in many films, comics, and social media. Similarly, having the privilege to drive a 4,000-pound car is a great responsibility, if not taken accountable, it may cost someone's life. Many drivers, regardless of age, are not aware that roughly 34,000 deaths are caused by driving each year in the United States. That’s 6800 times more than the number of deaths caused by shark attacks in a year. Roads across America shouldn't be menacing to young drivers, instead, it should be a safe area that can take you from point A to point B without any harm. To do so, we must take the initiative to highlight the importance of one’s education about road safety, thus leading us to the importance of driver’s education.
Driver’s education, every teenager must go through that process to get their license, but not everyone has considered the significance of it. Driver’s ed can teach students the dangers of distractions, speeding, and driving under the influence. It doesn’t stop there, but it can also provide drivers-specifically new drivers- with an overall understanding of the rules, traffic laws, and regulations of the road. Above all, taking a driver’s education class can further educate the potential dangers and driving in different conditions in real-world scenarios. For instance, drivers who took the program will have a complete understanding of the do’s and don'ts if they were to encounter construction on the road or come across heavy traffic. Overall, driver’s education can play a crucial part in reducing the number of deaths from motor vehicle crashes, by enhancing the driver's knowledge about road safety.
While driver’s education is one of the many ways to reduce motor vehicle crashes, there are many other steps and practices for a safer road. One of the most important and effective ways is to promote and implement laws regarding wearing your seatbelt. Seatbelts are there for a reason, to keep you stable in case there’s a crash. When wearing a seatbelt, you are reducing the risk of serious injury and death. This would take a huge step toward reducing the number of deaths greatly if we were to promote the use of seatbelts. Another way is to limit and address the usage of phones, by carrying out laws that prohibit the use of cell phones while operating a vehicle. When driving a car, you must pay attention to the speed limit, your surroundings, and blind spots. If you were to add a phone, the sounds of notifications, phone calls, and text messages would make you less likely to pay attention to your surroundings and instead draw your attention to the phone. This is the reason why phones are dangerous when driving. Therefore, implementing laws of phone usage can increase the expectation of turning your phone off when about to drive or texting and calling before driving. This can have a significant impact not just on your life but on others as well.
In addition to that, sharing other people’s stories about their experiences of being in a car crash can teach valuable lessons to individuals. An example can be my story, although I’ve never been in a car crash, I’ve seen my friend, Yesenia, drive while using her phone. One time, however, she got into a serious car crash that resulted in her not having the ability to walk and lost her ability to see in one of her eyes. By spreading awareness and the seriousness of being a safe driver, it can prevent future car crashes and deaths for individuals.
As for myself, I would contribute to being a better and safer driver by turning my phone off before driving and telling the passengers who are driving with me, regardless of age, to wear their seatbelts before hitting the road. From listening to other people’s stories about their first-hand experience of being in a car crash, I can help spread their story to others on social media so that new drivers and experienced drivers can have the recognition about the importance of being safe and educated drivers.
In conclusion, driving a car is a great responsibility. With the help of driver’s education, and the steps and practices such as wearing seatbelts, turning off your phone, and spreading the stories of others being in a car crash, it can help reduce the deaths of vehicle crashes greatly for everyone. It can’t just be one person taking the initiative of being an educated and safe driver, but it takes a community to ensure that the lives of others are safe. That is why when you’re driving, remember to keep calm and drive safe.