From Airspace to Asphalt: Safety Before Screens

Driver education is one of the most important tools we have for reducing deaths on the road because safe driving requires more than knowing how to operate a vehicle. Drivers must understand traffic laws, recognize hazards, manage distractions, make responsible decisions, and remain calm when something unexpected occurs. My aviation training has shown me that these skills are not learned once and then forgotten. Safety depends on preparation, continued practice, and a willingness to follow procedures every time.

I earned my Federal Aviation Administration Private Pilot Certificate at age 17. Aviation regulations require pilots to complete ground and flight training, pass knowledge and practical examinations, and demonstrate that they can operate an aircraft safely. Pilots must study weather, aircraft systems, emergency procedures, navigation, communication, and human factors. We are trained to use checklists, avoid unnecessary distractions, recognize personal limitations, and continually evaluate changing conditions. Driving does not need to be regulated in exactly the same way as flying, but many of the same principles should apply. A person operating any powerful machine has a responsibility to be prepared, attentive, and capable of making safe decisions.

Effective driver education gives new drivers a supervised environment in which to develop those habits. It teaches students to scan beyond the vehicle directly in front of them, anticipate the actions of other drivers, maintain a safe following distance, adjust for weather, and understand how speed affects stopping distance. It should also teach students how fatigue, emotions, alcohol, drugs, passengers, phones, and other distractions affect judgment. Passing a driving test demonstrates basic ability, but good driver education should prepare someone for the situations that are difficult to recreate during a short examination, including sudden stops, severe weather, road construction, mechanical problems, and irresponsible drivers.

I have never been involved in a car accident, and I want to keep it that way. However, I have watched family members become distracted by the screens now included in many vehicles or become overly concerned about incoming text messages. Even when someone does not pick up a phone, hearing a notification can cause that person to wonder who sent the message and whether it is important. That mental distraction can take attention away from the road. A driver may still be looking through the windshield without fully processing what is happening ahead.

I intentionally drive an older-model vehicle without a large digital screen. I prefer simple controls that I can operate without searching through menus or looking away from the road. I also place my phone in driving mode so notifications do not compete for my attention. A text message can wait. No message is important enough to risk a life, and if something requires immediate attention, the safe choice is to pull off the road before checking it.

I believe stronger standards should be considered for digital screens built into vehicles. Laws already address phone use in many situations, but built-in touchscreens can require the same type of visual and mental attention. Manufacturers should be required to limit complicated screen functions while a vehicle is moving. Frequently used controls—including the radio, temperature, defroster, and hazard lights—should have simple physical buttons or knobs that drivers can identify by touch. New technology can improve navigation and safety, but it should not require drivers to divide their attention between the road and several menus on a screen. Technology should assist the driver, not become another hazard.

Several other steps could reduce driving-related deaths. States should provide thorough driver education that includes meaningful supervised practice in different conditions rather than focusing only on passing a test. Training should address night driving, rain, rural roads, highway merging, emergency vehicles, motorcycles, pedestrians, and work zones. Defensive-driving and refresher courses could also help experienced drivers correct unsafe habits and learn about changes in vehicles and traffic laws.

Traffic laws must be consistently enforced, especially those involving impaired driving, excessive speed, reckless behavior, seat belts, and distracted driving. Roads should also be designed and maintained with safety in mind through clear markings, visible signs, adequate lighting, protected work zones, and timely repairs. Families can contribute by setting expectations for young drivers, modeling responsible behavior, and refusing to treat phone use behind the wheel as normal.

Aviation has taught me that accidents rarely result from only one poor decision. They often develop through a chain of small mistakes, ignored warnings, or changing conditions that were not handled early. Safe pilots are trained to break that chain before it becomes an emergency. Drivers can do the same by slowing down, increasing their following distance, avoiding distractions, wearing seat belts, checking the weather, and deciding not to drive when tired or impaired.

To become a better and safer driver, I can apply the habits I learned through flight training. Before flying, a pilot considers the weather, the condition of the aircraft, the planned route, fuel requirements, and personal readiness. Before driving, I can check my vehicle, plan my route, consider road and weather conditions, fasten my seat belt, activate driving mode, and make sure I am mentally prepared. Once I begin driving, I can remain alert, communicate clearly through signals, avoid aggressive behavior, and leave enough time to reach my destination without speeding.

I can also help others become safer by setting a consistent example. If I am a passenger and the driver becomes distracted, I can offer to manage the navigation, adjust the radio, or respond to an urgent message. I can respectfully remind friends and family that the road deserves their full attention. Most importantly, I can refuse to participate in unsafe behavior, even when speaking up feels uncomfortable.

My flight instructor taught me that safety comes before convenience and that preparation builds confidence. Those lessons apply whether I am piloting an aircraft or driving on a rural Oklahoma road. Driver education saves lives by developing knowledge, judgment, and responsible habits, but each driver must choose to apply them. When we treat driving as the serious responsibility it is, improve education and enforcement, reduce digital distractions, and hold ourselves accountable, we can prevent accidents and make the roads safer for everyone.