One
time I was on a family excursion, and a young man driving in front of
my family crashed into a delivery truck, flipping the truck and
trapping its driver inside the cabin. It was not a fun sight to see
for a thirteen-year-old. My father had exited pulled over and exited
our car to lend assistance. Later, it was revealed that the young
man’s father and mother were also asleep and he, rather than
stopping and informing them, ignored the signs and kept driving.
Fortunately, everyone was okay and a major tragedy was avoided but
none of it would have happened if the young man and his family had
been more responsible. However, deaths by driving are still a huge
contributor to the death toll, and steps need to be taken to reduce
it.

To
reduce the deaths related to driving, several actions can be taken.
First, drawing on the responsibility of the drivers, texting and
handheld communication should be removed while driving. Use of
handheld cellphones while driving should result in automatic
suspension of licenses. If the driver is not focused for any reason,
they should opt not to drive. Their travel companions should insist
that they rest for the night/ not drive or a focused and prepared
member of the party should opt to drive. Check points should be set
up, to occasionally check for people who are driving under the
influence and then get them off the road, for the safety of the other
drivers. Finally, all drivers should be required to retake their
license tests, both written and driving portion, every two years.
Those who cannot pass will be required to retake drivers ed
before they can drive again. All these and safe defensive driving
practices should help to reduce the amount of deaths related to
driving.


Why
should people undergo drivers ed again? The importance of
drivers ed in reducing the number of deaths as a result of
driving is that is builds confidence. During drivers ed
courses, the students are required to remember all the road rules.
They need to know these things in order to get their license, and
this teaches them responsibility. At the completion of the course,
the student should be a responsible, confident driver ready to take
on whatever the road sends their way.

To
improve my safe driving skills, I take offensive and defensive
driving courses. I also review the rules of the road and when I am
not driving, I try to observe how the other drivers that I am with
drive to see what they do right, and what they could have done
better, and how I can improve myself. By bettering myself and I hope
to make the roads safer and inspire others to be a better driver.