Transportation throughout a country is what connects one individual to another. American transportation is just the same, while the main form of transportation is through cars. While cars are a prevalent form of transportation, they are very dangerous due to the need for knowledge of the average driver. With proper driving education, drivers can make good discussions that put everyone inside the car at risk and outside of the car. A possible way to reduce daily deaths is through driver education instead of making personal suggestions. I have lost a friend in an automobile accident, along with having others in my life get into a series of wrecks. Death may not be preventable, but automobile accidents are preventable.
Knowledge is the key to success; without proper driving education, it leads to ignorant discussions that put everyone outside and inside the car at risk of injury or death. According to a study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2.1 percent of people with driver’s education have been in an automobile accident that led to injury or death, compared to 2.6 percent of those who did not take driver’s education (University of Nebraska-Lincoln). While even with driver’s education, accidents still lead to deaths or injuries, it essentially reduces the number of accidents. When comparing the percentages to the total population of America on 26 March 2024, 336.214 million, 2.1 percent is 7.06 million while 2.6 is 8.74 million (United States Census Bureau). Knowledge is fundamental to the success of driving. However, there are still possible improvements to reduce automobile accident fatalities. The steps would include increasing the requirements for driver’s licenses, allowing more driver’s education within schools, and showing the consequences of irresponsible driving. The increase in driver’s license requirements would be due to education requirements. I think that is forcing a certain amount of driver’s education. Instead of having it only optional, it will significantly help equip new drivers with the expertise to keep them safe and others out on the road. Following this, driver’s education should be accessible to the public because a price can not be on something that can save many lives. High school is the next place to start when limiting driving injuries and deaths. “Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for the U.S. teens. About 2,800 teens 13-19 years of age lost their lives in car crashes in 2020. That’s about eight teens a day” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). If there is more driver’s education available in all schools, while some schools at one time offer students driver’s education, then the schools no longer do. If a form of class became available to high schoolers, it would reduce the lack of driving knowledge, which would help the teens adjust and be safer driving. If the previous steps do not work correctly, driving recklessly is the standard consequence of tickets, suspending the driver’s license, and taking the driver to jail. However, I think one more thing that can be a form of deterrent for the driver from committing the crime again is showing the driver the bodies of people who were in horrible accidents due to reckless driving. I do personally have experience with having friends and family in accidents.
I have not been in an accident. However, people close to me did get into accidents. The first person I will talk about is a friend of mine who did not survive the accident, and he did pass away sadly at the age of seventeen, on 3-20-24. Thankfully, no one was in the car with him; my friend, driving at high speeds with no seatbelt on, did crash into a tree where he was pronounced dead at the scene. Years ago, a separate accident occurred where one friend was on a dirtbike, and the other was on a four-wheeler. Using the four-wheeler, the friend jumps the hill that the friend on the dirt bike was on, and the four-wheeler runs onto the dirt bike. Which hit the biker’s leg into a tree, causing a clean breakage of his leg; thankfully, the bone did not pierce the skin, so he only received the broken leg. In these two accidents, I was helpless and could not help any of my friends. However, I can still do my best to keep people safe while driving.
To minimize the risk of any accident, I do a series of things to keep myself and others safe while I am on the road. First, I ensure my car is completely functional and run a full maintenance check. While driving, I ensure everyone in the vehicle has their seatbelt on. Due to the difficulties of driving at night, I make sure not to blind the other vehicles on the road by shutting off my lights and turning on my dims. The last thing I do is pay attention to the surrounding vehicles if someone is driving unsafely, Making sure that I have plenty of time to react to avoid an accident.
Knowledgeable driving is the key to reducing automobile deaths, and the steps to apply knowledge throughout the population through requiring driver’s education to acquire a driver’s license, bringing more knowledge about driving to high schools and showing the consequences of irresponsible driving. Drivers with driver’s education are statistically better off driving compared to those without driver’s education. Teen deaths are one of the highest death rates in the United States when looking at automobile accidents. To reduce the deaths of teens, more education on driving safety needs to be available to them, along with driver’s education being a requirement.