Olivia
Majuta

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.