In the Driver's Seat

My mom and I were driving home from my volleyball tournament. It was dark outside and we both desperately wanted to be home. I had just woken up from a nap in the car when all of a sudden there was a crunch on the side of our car. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the initial impact of the car was frightening. What was really terrifying was that the outcome of the crash could have been extremely different if my mom had slowed down by not even a second. It ended up being that the driver who hit us was under the influence of marijuana. This whole crash could have been avoided if the driver had been more responsible.

Though the United States has one of the safest networks of roads in the world, they also have an extremely high number of driving fatalities. Tens of thousands of people are unnecessarily dying due to the irresponsibility of drivers. These are people that others love and care for but are being taken away for avoidable reasons. Through drivers ed, people will learn how to be safer drivers, causing fewer car accidents.

There are many steps that can be taken to combat these car accidents. An easy step is to make sure drivers ed prior to getting a learner’s permit is thorough and clear. All programs should meet a certain standard and be consistent throughout different programs. A driver should never use their phone, eat, or perform any other activities that may take their attention away from the road. Another step to safer driving is to always drive at the posted speed limit and to reduce speed when necessary due to weather or road conditions. A major cause of fatal car accidents is driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. All cars should be equipped with an ignition interlock system to make sure drivers cannot start their cars unless under the legal limit. These small adjustments would create a significant decrease in fatal accident rates.

I take many steps to ensure that I am a safe driver. Driving is a privilege, so I do all that I can to make sure I don’t lose it. When driving, I try to be free of distractions. I know that I have to be focused and alert to the changing road conditions. If it’s late or I’m tired, I stay off the road. Being tired causes a person’s reaction to slow, so driving when it’s late increases my chances of being in an accident.

Everyone needs to take these simple steps to ensure that they are safe drivers. Being an alert and responsible driver will decrease the number of accidents, leading to the reduction of accident fatalities.