In a country that is greatly dependent on vehicle-based infrastructure and transportation, driving is something that most American citizens will learn how to do, and for many, it will be their primary means of transportation. It is of vital importance that with so many people on the road, especially with so many young people behind the wheel, drivers are educated about laws, potential dangers, and the consequences of unsafe actions on the road.
Education is the most important aspect of safety on the road. Many accidents that happen are caused by a lack of knowledge about road laws, driving a vehicle, or the consequences of either. Plenty of new drivers fail to properly learn about driving laws, and driving tests do not filter out these individuals as well as they should. Many young drivers are also unaware of vehicle maintenance, and do not bother to read the owner’s manual that comes with their vehicle. Student drivers also fail to learn how to use awareness on the road, which leads to accidents as a result of a lack of attention, as well as fail to recognize driver’s etiquette, which, when followed, prevents themselves and others from playing involuntary bumper cars.
Driver’s education needs to be improved. There are not very many available resources that are easy to find or access, and not all may be accurate or up-to-date. Furthermore, laws change, and things can be forgotten. Having a required driver’s test after a certain amount of time driving, say 10-20 years, or after a certain age, would greatly reduce the number of accidents as a result of negligent driving. Another thing that may help improve the skill of new drivers are designated practice circuits - public spaces in which new drivers can safely practice without any danger of getting in an accident on a road for daily use. Most importantly, the standards to acquire a driver’s license need to be raised. The written portion of the test needs to be much more thorough, and the practical portion needs to be a little more than a quick circuit. Both should include more situations that the drivers could find themselves in, and they should determine whether or not the student driver has the thinking skills that they need in order to drive safely. Another thing: a feature that could be added to phones would be a driver’s mode, which would prevent people from using them while they are driving.
When I was young, my family and I were involved in a minor car accident. It was a mere fender bender, but the experience remains crystal clear in my memory. We were on the way to my uncle’s house for a family get-together, when we were rear-ended by a man in a pale gold-painted car. We made a turn and almost immediately, he slammed into the back of our car, and we were jostled around a bit, but no one was harmed at all. I remember looking behind me and being very confused, because I couldn’t see his windshield, just the gold of his car. That’s when I realized that his hood had been bent in half and was now shaped like a tent. The man had rear-ended us because he was not paying attention to the car in front of him; he had been looking down at his phone. Fortunately, we did not have to call the police, because an officer on patrol had witnessed the entire thing. We were very fortunate that we were able to walk away from this incident, but if this same scenario had played out on the interstate, for example, we may not have been so fortunate. It is so important to pay attention to the road, to be aware of your surroundings, and to respect road etiquette.
One step that we can all take in order to be a safer driver is to turn our phones off when we drive. Removing the temptation altogether will ensure that one dangerous factor is taken out of the equation. Another thing that we can all do is set a good example for any younger individuals who may be in our vehicle when we drive. Leading by example will encourage new drivers to drive safely and legally. In order to help other current drivers, we can remind each other the dangers of driving recklessly. We can also help to educate new drivers on the importance of driving safely. When it comes to road safety, it is up to all of us to drive safely and educate new drivers on how to be safe. When we get behind the wheel, we have a responsibility to ourselves and everyone around us to drive safely, and when we ignore that obligation, people get hurt. Do not be responsible for others’ getting hurt.