Driving is a crucial part of daily life for millions of Americans. Driving is as routine as brushing their teeth in the morning, or checking their email inbox. It can be hard in many places to get any further than the next street over without a car. The necessity and omnipresence of driving in our society makes it all the more important that the drivers we share the road with are safe, responsible, and well-taught.
Being a safe driver begins with driver education. Driving is a skill like any other, and it is important that people learning that skill receive the support, information, and practice they need to confidently and responsibly drive. A 2015 study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that young drivers that had not completed driver education were 74% more likely to be ticketed, 24% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash, and 16% more likely to be involved in car crashes generally. Clearly, an educated driver is a safer driver. Driver education saves lives.
Driver education teaches new drivers many of the basic skills essential to good driving. They learn how to read and interpret signs and markings, navigate traffic, handle adverse weather and driving conditions, and share the road. Without these foundations, new drivers are left to figure out the complicated rules and expectations of driving all by themselves, and are more prone to making mistakes–some of which have irreversible consequences.
There are a number of ways to make the roads safer, however. Many of the irreversible mistakes made are preventable. One step towards reducing driving-related deaths is investing in high-quality driver education, including behind the wheel programs. They allow student drivers to practice driving skills in a safe environment and gain confidence. Another is by making driver education more accessible. The cost can be prohibitive for many low-income teens and young adults, and scholarships and subsidies would keep them, their passengers, and everyone they share the road with safer. I went to school in a low-income district and knew multiple classmates that drove without permits because they needed jobs, but couldn't afford driver education. Additionally, states that do not require driver education classes could change their laws.
New drivers are far from the only ones causing fatal crashes. Distracted driving, drinking while drunk or high, and drowsy driving are all killers. These can be prevented by campaigns helping people understand the risks of these types of driving, and what they can do instead. For example, many people in states with legalized cannabis do not know that driving high is dangerous, or a crime. I have had to inform multiple people of this fact that did not believe me. Similarly, many people are unaware of just how dangerous it can be to drive when they are sleep-deprived. My own sister told me once that she kept almost falling asleep driving home from work. Giving people the information they need to make better driving choices is the first step.
Another way to prevent fatal crashes is to make it easier for people to not drive. Programs like free cab rides and vouchers for taxis and Uber rides prevent inhibited people from taking the risk of driving, and should be expanded. Something similar could be instituted for potential drowsy drivers, such as workers after long shifts.
I, like most Americans, have seen a myriad of unsafe behaviors behind the wheel. I have seen my family members check their texts while driving, and had to inform my dad that it is not safe to drive with earbuds in and music playing. I have intervened in situations involving driving under the influence and offered to be the designated driver. While driving with my family, we were rear-ended by a driver who was distracted by smoking a cigarette. We needed to buy a new car afterward.
Steps that I can take to be a better driver are continuing to practice and develop skills that I’m weak in. Everyone gets rusty and has areas of improvement, and I can find safe ways to get better and learn from others. The people in my life can do the same, and we can help each other be safer drivers. I can also keep my phone out of my hands and out of my field of vision when I am driving. A way that I can help others with this is by offering to read them directions or put their music on, which can be some of the biggest reasons that people look at their phones behind the wheel. I can also be an advocate and promote better driver education and systemic action for safe driving, as well as correct misinformation about driving safety.
With as routine and necessary as driving is in our culture, it is important that we do it safely. Driver education, correcting misinformation, and making safe rides more accessible are ways that we can reduce tragedy on our roads on a systemic level. On a personal level, advocacy, improving my own driving skills, and helping people stay away from their phones behind the wheel can keep myself, the people I drive with, and everyone else on the road safer.