Corinne
Olsten
Road
Safety: A Responsibility For All

All
over the world, citizens of countries use transportation, private or
public, to arrive at a destination. In modern times, technology has
driven us forward to reach places that a hundred years ago people
didn’t believe were possible. Driving cars and using public
transportation usage has increased drastically to the point that many
people that have access to this have become dependent on it. However,
deaths and serious injuries have increased as well due to many
different factors. Drivers ed helps decrease these risks.

It
is through drivers ed that students at the age of fifteen have
the opportunity to understand the common rules and regulations of
driving and traffic. Through this opportunity, they learn and become
better equipped when faced with certain uncommon and dangerous
situations. They are able to practice a firm strong mindset in
stressful and panicking situations. For example, if a student didn’t
know that when their car begins to drift on ice, they should allow
the car to drift rather than trying to drive on the ice. It is
through drivers ed that students from a young age are pushed to
act maturely and think in an adult mindset. Through this, they are
able to experience the adult world firsthand through the introduction
of driving.

Car
accidents have begun to increase due to many factors, such as texting
while driving, alcohol consumption, driving under drug-influence, and
disobeying traffic laws. My mother experienced her first car accident
after traveling to Canada to study English from South Korea. She was
sitting in the passenger seat while her friend was driving her back
to her apartment. Her friend was so engaged in his conversation with
my mom that he forgot to look both ways before entering the
intersection. It was then that a reckless driver disobeyed traffic
laws and ran the red light. The car hit the passenger seat and left
my mom with minor injuries. If the car had entered the intersection
seconds earlier, my mother would have most likely left with serious
injuries or without her life. It was when I was hearing this intense
story that I realized that road safety is the responsibility of
everyone driving on the road, not just others and not just myself.

A
factor that decrease road safety is texting and driving, a
significant element that has recently played a role in the increasing
death rates due to car accidents. Others include driving under the
influence of drugs, alcohol consumption during or after drinking
while driving, becoming tired to the point that being alert is
difficult, distracting conversations, and choosing music on phones.
Although these are only a few factors that contribute to car accident
deaths, these are the most notable. Some steps to decrease the number
of deaths due to driving include downloading an app that senses when
the driver has a car in motion which sends out a text to anyone that
is texting the driver. The text could read that the driver is driving
and is unable to respond or that they will get back to them soon. It
would also turn off their notifications and only allow them to take
calls. This could significantly decrease deaths because the driver
would not get distracted and the texter on the other line would
understand the situation. Those who drive under the influence of
drugs and alcohol could get fined at a higher rate to decrease those
that are tempted to drive while on drugs or alcohol. If they are
tempted to drive, an app could be downloaded or a watch could be worn
that senses the person’s heart rate or the way the person is
holding themselves up which would send an Uber or taxi driver to pick
them up and bring them home. Drivers ed could also have drivers
sixteen and uptake a drivers ed test every two or three
years in order to keep their driver’s license. Although this is a
new requirement, adults would be reminded of the essential factors of
driving safe and how to handle certain dangerous situations.

There
are many different ways one can help decrease car accident deaths and
become safer on the road as a responsible driver. By choosing not to
text and driver, either by will-power or by downloading an app that
would send out a text to anyone that texts me that I’m in the car
and am unable to text them back, I am already increasing safety on
the road. I have already chosen beforehand to not do drugs nor drink
alcohol. My friends also know that if they ever need a driver after
they drink that I am willing to pick them up and drive them safely
back home to decrease the chances of car accidents. I also tell my
passengers that they are distracting me if I ever feel that my
attention to the road is decreasing. If I’m tired, I can pack a
snack in the car or turn up the air conditioning to keep myself
awake. If needed, I can pull over and take a short nap in order to
keep my alertness in top shape. Music should also be chosen
beforehand to decrease the risk of looking at a phone while driving.
I can pick a playlist I made beforehand to keep it on while driving
in order to reduce the chances of a car accident to do looking at a
phone.

Driving
is a huge responsibility that everyone should take seriously. It is
due to irresponsible drivers and rash decisions that cause car
accident deaths. However, it is through drivers ed and the
willingness of the driver to choose responsibly that increases the
safety of drivers on the road. It is up to each and every driver to
make smart decisions to increase road safety for the sake of their
safety and the safety of others. It is by working together we make
the road a safer place for all.