There are several steps we can take to be better and safer drivers as well as help others become safer on the road. I will share a few of my experiences and ideas. All of these topics are thoroughly covered in driver education. Creating awareness and educating people is the first step to better and safer drivers.
One step to safer driving is not driving while impaired by substances. I know someone who has struggled with substance abuse. Late one night they borrowed their grandparents' car. They were high on marijuana and they ran off the road. They crashed into a street sign and it totaled the car. They lied to their grandparents and told them the road was slippery. There’s no room for excuses when driving under the influence. On another occasion they were drunk and hit an oncoming car. They hit their face on the steering wheel and got several bruises and large cuts. They were charged with a DUI and taken to jail. Their family had to pay $1000 bail money to get them out of jail. This was a really sad situation, and I was disappointed. They were lucky the accident wasn’t worse. They could have died, or they could have killed others by accident. When someone has been drinking they should get a ride from someone who is sober. It is never a good idea to drink and drive. The same idea applies to driving while high on marijuana or any other drug. People may feel like they still have enough control of themself to drive. But substances like alcohol and marijuana affect your response time, and they slow you down. There is no room for slow response time when driving. If you take too long to hit the brakes you could crash into someone or something. I am co-president of the Idaho Drug Free Youth Club at my high school. I feel like the best choice is to avoid drugs at all. If you are 21 or older and decide to drink it is best to do so responsibly. Make sure that you have people who care about you around to let you know when you have had enough. Have a designated driver or call for a ride. Driving drunk is irresponsible. You are endangering yourself and others if you drive while intoxicated. We can help others be safer by offering to be a designated driver or encouraging them to call for a ride.
Another step to create safer drivers is to avoid looking at cell phones while driving. I have witnessed people on their cell phones while driving. Whether it’s texting at a red light or quickly changing the music. I often see other drivers on their phones, and it scares me. It makes me especially nervous anytime I am a passenger and see the driver on their phone. My first impulse every time is to offer to help them. I will ask them to give me their phone and I will text for them or change the music. It only takes a second of distracted driving to cause an accident.
One way to help increase driver survival during an accident is by wearing a seatbelt. My older sister was driving on a cold morning. It had rained the night before, but now the sky was clear. The roads seemed dry, until she went under a bridge and hit black ice. When her tires came in contact with the ice she lost control of the vehicle. Despite the all wheel drive features of her she spun in circles and went off the road backwards into a ditch. The angle of the ditch caused her car to tip over sliding onto the driver side of the car. This left her trapped in the car. A passing driver came to help her and open the sunroof to help her exit the tipped car. Her phone recognized the car accident and automatically dialed 911. Emergency response came quickly to help her. Sometimes car accidents are out of our control. Luckily, my sister was wearing a seatbelt, and her injuries were minor. She walked away with whiplash and some bruises on her arms and hip. I am very thankful that my sister always wears a seatbelt.
All of the steps to safer drivers I mentioned can be learned in driver education. Driver education is a beneficial step to better driving. If drivers are better educated in a variety of driving situations that may arise they can be safer drivers. They can be more prepared and know what to avoid. If people understand the rules of the road and how different circumstances can influence driving they can be more aware and better drivers. For example: some people don’t realize that taking certain cold or allergy medicines can cause drowsiness, which can almost be as harmful as driving while drunk. These topics and others are covered thoroughly in driving education. The more people are educated about all aspects of driving the safer the roads will be.