In the Driver’s Seat: The Importance of Being a Safe Driver

Being
a safe driver is an important responsibility that many people do not
think of when they open their car door to get in their driver's seat
and back out of their driveway every morning. When you get out on the
road you are in control of a several hundred pound vehicle. Last
year, more than 100 people were killed in traffic related deaths in
North Dakota in 2018. That is 100 of your family, friends, neighbors,
or coworkers. While that number is down from 2017, it is crucial that
everyone take drivers safety seriously.

An
important key to reducing the number of deaths and achieving the
state's overall goal of zero fatalities and zero serious injuries is
drivers ed. Drivers ed provides a solid foundation of
overall skills and knowledge of driving and the rules of the road. By
providing a mixture of classroom and on road training it aims at
practicing for what one might see on the road. The importance of
taking drivers safety is not only to learn what one should do on the
road, but also moreover what one should avoid doing when driving.
Other steps to reduce the number of driving related deaths are to
ensure everyone within the vehicle wears their seatbelt properly,
drivers never drive distracted, and lastly but most importantly no
one drives under the influence.

Many
times while I am driving I will notice that the driver in the car
next to me is on their phone texting and/or on the internet. It may
seem like a harmless text message or a quick google search, but it
only takes a few seconds for an accident to happen and for someone to
lose their life. It is so important to be concentrating on the task
at hand: driving safely. Nothing else should matter, not even a text.
You should never think it won’t happen to you because in reality it
can happen to anyone at any time. It is important to remind the
driver that the text message can always wait and will still be there
when they are parked safely.

Finally,
some steps we can all take to be better safer drivers are to first
and foremost buckle up, be aware of your surroundings and driving
conditions, and obey speed limits and laws of the road. It is also
important to remember that traffic accidents can happen to anyone at
anytime so it is crucial to reduce distractions and maintain your
attention to driving safely.