To begin with, driving is a skill and a function that is essential in our lives to complete chores, commute to our jobs, commute children to school, and generally complete the necessary tasks of our life. However, driving has its own risks. Driving exposes individuals to roads where possibly other reckless or intoxicated drivers are on the road and thus can increase the chances of an accident or major car crash. Therefore, individuals should learn responsible and safe driving habits on the roads to maintain the safety of themselves, their automobiles, and the passengers with them. Necessary and safe driving habits can be taught through driving education courses administered by school districts or a driving school in an individual’s local community. Some of the topics covered through driver education programs are law-abiding practices such as buckling the seatbelt, adhering to the speed limits on the roads and through school zones, how to come to a complete stop at a stop sign, and more. In addition, driver education programs teach individuals safe driving habits such as maintaining a safe distance from the driver in front of you, how to share the road with other drivers, how to react to aggressive drivers on the road, the dangers of driving under the influence of substances such as alcohol and other legal drugs and how these cases can get individuals in trouble with the law, and more. All in all, driver education programs can help reduce the number of driving deaths by teaching individuals safer driving habits and abiding by the law on the road.

Next, some of the steps that can be self-implemented by individuals to reduce the number of deaths from driving are avoiding driving while intoxicated, as driving while intoxicated is the leading cause of death on the road and the number one leading cause of death in teenagers. Individuals can mitigate this risk by making sure that they drive while having a blood alcohol content(BAC) under .08 or by having a less-intoxicated friend or family member drive. Next, drivers should maintain a safe space between themselves and the driver in front of them to give themselves a cushion to react to sudden braking or swift lane changes by other vehicles in front of them. This is especially crucial on the expressways and the interstates since these roadways have a much higher speed limit than city roads or country roads. Other safe driving habits include avoiding texting while driving, maintaining undivided attention on the road, especially in high-traffic areas like the interstates, through more populated areas like metropolitan areas, or areas of high business activity like airports, and checking your rearview mirror and side view mirrors frequently to be aware of other drivers’ behaviors.

Fortunately for me, I have not been in a vehicle accident or crash and neither have any of my friends or family members. However, some of my friends demonstrate irresponsible behavior while they are driving. For example, my one friend was scrolling through his phone and watching a tv show while we were driving out to New York during our college spring break. Fearful of an accident, I politely asked him to put his phone away and focus purely on the road so we can get to New York safely and he complied with me. Subsequently, I felt much safer when he was purely focused on the road and going at the legal speed limit, and thus avoided any possible pullover by the police.

To conclude, there are numerous habits that can be implemented by individuals to maintain their safety and the safety of other drivers on the road. Some of the habits mentioned above are the most crucial in maintaining safe driving habits such as avoiding driving while intoxicated, maintaining a safe distance between an individual and the driver in front of them, buckling the seatbelt, keeping an undivided attention on the road, and more. Most importantly, individuals should try to teach and root these habits in other individuals as well, particularly their family members and close friends. For instance, a responsible driver should teach his son or daughter these safe driving habits to lessen their risk of accidents on the road and help them maintain their safety while driving. Responsible drivers can also teach their friends or younger siblings safer driving habits to maintain their safety on the road, just like in my case when I was going to NY with my friend. To summarize, safe driving habits are crucial to learn and practice to preserve the privilege of driving for completing essential life tasks and for leisure activities as well such as traveling, sightseeing, and more.