Drivers Education is something that should be a requirement for all people who want to obtain their driving licence, no matter their age. Why do you think insurance companies charge drivers who have completed driver's education a lower rate? This is because people who have not completed driver education are “75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident and 16 percent more likely to have an accident…”(“National Safety Council, Nebraska: UNL Study on Driver Education”). These statistics show that having completed driver's education reduces all risks while driving. This is only the first step to reducing the number of deaths related to driving.
Something all people can do to reduce the number of deaths related to driving include wearing your seatbelt. The number of fatalities and injuries would be greatly reduced if people wore their seat belts. They are designed to keep all occupants in the vehicle incase of an accident, therefore keeping them safer from outside risks. There are laws that require people under the age of 18 in the state of New Hampshire to wear their seatbelts and while this is good, the law should not have an age limit; all people should be required to wear their seatbelts. This way there is no one age group that is exposed to more risks because of not wearing seatbelts.
While seatbelts are very important, so is not being distracted while driving. Texting and driving is another cause of fatalities on the road. Being distracted, whether it be by a phone or other device, is not safe and greatly increases the chances of an accident. Texting and driving can be equivalent to drinking and driving. “Texting while driving has the same effect on your driving reaction time as if you had consumed four beers in a single hour”(Borrelli). This means that while you may think you are safe and a good enough driver to be texting while you drive; you are actually like a drunk driver on the roads. This is something else that can be taken into consideration; drinking and driving.
Seatbelts and distractions are dangerous but in my opinion drinking and driving is the top contender for killing people while they are driving. Whether you wreck your own car and hurt yourself, or you wreck a car filled with kids and a family you are causing a great impact on many people's lives. Drinking and driving is something I have personal experience with as I have been in a vehicle with someone who was drunk while driving. So, I have seen first hand how dangerous this can be. Living through this puts into perspective things people always tell you are dangerous but you never believe them. You should start believing them. When the car is swerving into the wrong lane and there is nothing you can do about it you start to truly realize that the person you thought was okay to drive is not. This is another way to reduce the number of fatalities in car accidents. Do not get into the car with someone who has been drinking and do not allow someone who has been drinking to drive. Preventing someone from drinking and driving can save their life and others lives. People who drink and drive are putting themself and many others in harm's way; which is not okay in any manner.
Driving is something that is always going to be considered dangerous because some people don’t do what they are supposed to do, but do you want to be the one that causes a fatal accident because you didn't do the right thing? No, you don't want to be the person who causes an accident that kills someone's son, daughter, mother, father, best friend, husband, wife, ect. And then have to live with that guilt for the rest of your life. Taking steps to avoid being that person is very important and includes going to driver's education no matter your age because they will teach you the things you need to know to be as safe as you can be. After you complete driver's education and you get your driver's license it is now up to you to apply what they taught you and for you to make the right choices.
This means not texting while driving, not drinking and driving, wearing your seatbelt, and teaching others what you know. While all people should go through driving education, some may not have the resources to do so. So, teaching them what you know can also be a help in decreasing the number of fatal car accidents.