Olivia Majuta- In the Driver's Seat

In the Driver’s Seat

About 1.25 million deaths occur in the United States each year due to car accidents and the number one contributor to those deaths is distracted driving. Driving is used daily and is a risk no matter who is behind the wheel. Being an educated driver will decrease this risk immensely and can lead too little to no accidents, reducing the number of deaths on the road. Knowing the rules of the road is one thing, but in-depth knowledge of your surroundings and being aware is another form of drivers ed. Everywhere we see road signs, PSA’s, and billboards about drivers ed and safety. The reason for these is to show just how important drivers ed and safety is on and off the road, not only does driving affect the passengers but it also can affect the pedestrians alongside the road as well. Vehicle accidents are the third leading cause of death in the United States today, the car crash fatality rate (per capita) is almost half of what was in 1976. The steps to take in order to reduce the number of deaths is a dual effort between us and the government. Sometimes we have to legislate behaviour in order to create change. In 1970, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was created, and it established the mandatory instillation of seat belts in motor vehicles, later in 1984, the mandatory use of seatbelts was legislated. Motor-Vehicle deaths have decreased greatly since then, instead of 28 deaths per 100,000 population in 1970, it is now down to 12 deaths per 100,000 population as of 2017. Based on the success rate of legislating seatbelt use and the decrease in the number of deaths, this may be a necessary step to take in order advertise safe and educated driving. I personally have not experienced being in a car accident nor have I ever seen my friends or family drive irresponsibly, but that is because my family and I take driving very seriously and we are aware of the many dangers and responsibilities that come with driving. In order for me to personally become a better and safer driver, I need to be more aware of my surroundings and pay attention to every little thing. Driving is very meticulous, and anything can happen in a matter of seconds if we aren’t paying attention. The majority of car crashes occur within one or five miles away from one’s home. This is something that scares and is a major reason why I try to be as safe as possible on the road. Being and educated driver cannot only save your life but it can also save others as well.