The number of deaths as a result of driving continues to increase every year. I think that this heartbreaking reality is true due to the lack of experience that new drivers have before getting their licenses. Some driving schools in my home state of Pennsylvania only require six one-hour lessons with a driving instructor, including the drivers test itself, while the state requires sixty-five hours of documented driving, with a certain amount of hours of night driving and bad weather. The new driver must also have their learner’s permit for at least six months before being eligible for the drivers test. Also, the drivers test given to new drivers by the Pennsylvania DMVs tests only the basic knowledge of the controls of the car and parallel parking, which means the duration of the test is only about ten or fifteen minutes, and it does not cover knowledge of what to do in an emergency situation, such as getting a flat tire in the middle of the highway, or getting into a terrible accident with another person on the road, such as a motorcycle accident or the driver losing control of the car that they are in.
To reduce the number of driving-related deaths, I think that driving schools in Pennsylvania and around the country should increase the number of hours that the new drivers should be behind the wheel and the number of lessons given by the driving instructors. Parents should also give their children real-world experiences, so that they can have a quick reaction time, and so that they know how to respond to emergencies or accidents that could happen to anyone at any time, because nowadays, it is highly likely for someone, especially a relatively new driver to get in a driving related accident due to inexperience on busy highways, tough road situations, or flat out carelessness behind the wheel.
While I have not yet been in a car accident myself, I have seen and heard instances where some of my family members or friends have gotten into accidents due to either their own or another driver’s carelessness or irresponsiblity behind the wheel. It is a very scary experience to deal with because one never knows if they are going to make it out of that situation alive or not. Also, most of the accidents I have heard about could have been easily avoided if all of the drivers were simply giving their full attention to the road and the other cars around them. I have also been in a car where the person behind the wheel is texting while driving, and it has made me feel very unsafe and skeptical to be in a car with them in future circumstances. These types of things are what cause accidents because the driver is barely paying attention to the road or the traffic around them.
I think everyone who is able to get behind the wheel can afford to improve their driving tendencies to make the roads safer and have a safe atmosphere in the car. To start, I think drivers should turn off their cell phones, put them on Do Not Disturb mode, or put them in the back seat with someone else while they are driving, or while the car is in motion. I think that this will reduce a lot of distractions that could occur to the driver while they are behind the wheel, because I know that I am guilty of going on my phone at red lights and when I am sitting at stop signs waiting for other cars to pass by. If their cell phones are not on or in their reach, drivers will be less tempted to check their text messages or Instagram while actively driving. I think that this tactic would make passengers in the car feel more comfortable and safe while on the road with that driver.
Overall, I think that with more experience for young drivers before taking their drivers test, being tested for emergency situations during the drivers test, and a lot less use of the cell phone while driving could reduce the number of driving related deaths and accidents exponentially in a very short amount of time. It also does not require an enormous amount of effort to enforce these tactics into our every day lives, so I think everyone with the capability of getting into the driver's seat should live by this to create safer roads, not just in Pennsylvania, but around the United States and the world.