It was one early morning in Northern Wisconsin. Snow was falling, the roads were glistening, and the bitter weather made everything seem like it was just another day. My family and I are driving along just to visit some family and we stop at the local McDonald’s to get some breakfast. We get through the drive-thru, and we head back onto the main highway. Stopping at the stoplight like we always do, all of us heard a sudden thud. My newly purchased sandwich slips right out of my hands and I see my dad race to get out of the car. As a little girl, I did not know exactly what was going on—I was a bit confused. However, the loud impact of the sound definitely made me concerned. When I found out the car behind us hit our car, I went through all the possibilities of what had happened. From what I gathered, the car behind us was driving too fast on the icy and snowy road, and slid right into the tail end of our car. What if the car slid farther into where my younger sister and I were sitting in the back, would we be okay? What if the man driving behind us drove a little slower in the bad weather conditions? What if the man driving never had Drivers Education? These are all questions I had asked myself because I felt as though everyone should properly be taught how to drive in order to make the roads a safer environment.
The rate of how many people die every year due to car accidents is substantially higher than it should be. Averaging 34,000 deaths a year in America, is a rate that needs to be resolved. Double that and the rate is equal to the total number of American deaths from the Vietnam War. The soldiers in the Vietnam War fought hard to save our country and their deaths caused an outbreak of loss throughout the span of America. The fact is, the equal number of people dying from car accidents is just America fighting its own war. We go through the grief and pain just as often as people did back in the Vietnam era. Obtaining Drivers Education knowledge is a crucial part in lowering these numbers. The course teaches the proper techniques of driving and it is where students learn what to do if weather conditions are bad, if something does not seem right with their vehicle, or if there is an emergency, they know exactly what steps to take to be as safe as possible. All ages above the legal age should obtain this knowledge even if they decide to turn 18 so they do not have to take the course. Every person who drives should take the course to gain the proper skills and techniques of driving. I believe this is the first step in lowering the number of deaths due to car accidents in America.
The second step that needs to be put in place are more driving laws. Drinking while driving causes 13,524 deaths a year. This number decreasing would take a big chunk out of the total number of deaths caused by car accidents. Maybe there could be a law that changes the outcome of this wrongdoing. Maybe there is a way we could increase the dollar amount of the fine, or increase the number of points it adds to someone's license. Maybe this would instill in people that it would be too hefty of a problem to deal with, ultimately decreasing the rate of people drinking while driving to begin with. Though drinking while driving is a huge problem, texting while driving is another ongoing problem in America. Every year there are 400 deaths caused by people texting while driving which seems low, but I believe it is a problem that can easily be fixed. Texting while driving is illegal in some states and many people try to argue that this should not be a law. Those people believe that having their phone is viewed as a more useful tool than as a distraction. This is true in many cases, but driving should not be one. Having a law in place will decrease the number of deaths just by people not wanting to deal with the consequences, however, if this is in place, other laws should be put in place about GPS systems in vehicles and touch screens on the dash. These are just as much of a distraction that texting is when driving. There have been many times that I have seen people distracted when trying to switch a song or find where they are going on a map. This is why I believe all vehicles should have a hands free system. Recently I know this is getting more popular, and I truly believe having a system like that in place will allow drivers to keep their eyes on the road at all times. Keeping their eyes up and focused on the road is a huge step in decreasing the amount of deaths caused by car accidents in America.
The last step of the process is my own step. What can I do to better myself and others while on the road? To start, I have gone through Drivers Education and have had all of my driving hours. While I drive, I constantly look out for any suspicions of people doing the wrong thing and I try to drive as safe as possible. Many times have I seen someone drive right through a stoplight, and every time I stop and the light flicks to green, I make sure the coast is clear before I move along. This way, I have a double check in place to keep myself and others safe. To help others, I always try to make sure everyone takes their Drivers Education course seriously as it is a crucial part in making the roads a safe place for everyone. If I am to ever be in a car where someone is doing something illegal, I ask them to question their actions in the hopes of them stopping whatever it was they were doing. By taking my part seriously, I believe I set a good example for others to do the same. A life is to be lived, and I believe everyone deserves the chance to drive safely on the roads. This starts by taking the proper steps to get there, decreasing the number of deaths caused by car accidents in America.