Nowadays, driving is quite common and necessary to get around the city. We need a car to go to school, to work, to the doctor, and to the movie theater, however, because driving can have a lethal effect, laws and regulations must exist. Driver education is an essential factor in reducing the number of deaths caused by car accidents because it raises awareness and knowledge among drivers and others. Just like drivers should be aware of their surroundings when driving, so should pedestrians when using crosswalks and such. Everybody should have driver knowledge because that way everyone can be careful in all situations. Having driver education can also make drivers know the importance of driving and always perform defensive driving. Luckily, in Texas, adults from the ages of eighteen to twenty-five must take a driving course that teaches drivers about defensive driving and road safety. This is important for inexperienced drivers so they can be educated and know the correct usage of the road. Because as we all know, driving is a privilege, not a right.
Some steps the driver should always take to reduce the number of deaths related to driving are to always look at your mirrors and blind spots. This simple procedure of looking at one’s surroundings can prevent many small or big collisions. Another key point when driving is to drive respectfully and not recklessly. Maintain the speed limit and slow down whenever necessary. Also always drive when conscious and never under the influence of alcohol, doing so can lead to horrible car crashes or casualties. The driver should always remain focused on the road and not be distracted by the passengers or other obstacles on the road. I always try to have my friends and family take driving seriously. Whenever I am driving along with my friends, I try to be aware of our surroundings as an extra pair of eyes in case the driver does not notice something. And most importantly the driver and every passenger should always have their seatbelt on as it can save lives.
Thankfully, I have never experienced a serious car accident, but I have been in a few where people are either backing into us or rear-ending us. The most recent one was where a driver rear-ended my mom's truck in a turnaround. We were waiting for clearance from the incoming traffic, however, the rushed driver braked too late and hit the back of our truck. It did cause damage to the back of our truck bed, and we had to pull over near a shopping center where we exchanged our information. My mom and I were unsure if calling the police was necessary, however, the other driver insisted that it was unnecessary since we just had to exchange insurance information. My mom not being able to speak English made me call the other driver’s insurance to file a claim and it was a straightforward process. The funny thing was that the insurance worker wanted to know the location of the accident and once I told her she said, “Oh yeah, we just saw the accident occur.” I had not realized that the insurance place was right in front of the turnaround where the accident occurred.
Based on this experience and others in the past, I would say some steps to become a better and safer driver would be to always be aware of our surroundings. Although, at times some accidents can be unavoidable it is best to try your best to predict the behavior of other drivers and perform a safe action to avoid any kind of incidents. Doing this can save many lives. Having good role models also helps in preventing bad driving habits. For me, it was my mother because I would always be fascinated by her driving skills and ways of preventing collisions. My observations of her driving seemed to work out because when I first started my driving lessons with her, I knew how to turn on the right turn indicator whereas my older brother did not.
Overall, driving should be taken seriously to assure a safe outcome when getting to one’s destination. Do not perform dangerous acts when driving such as speeding, driving too close to other cars, or not wearing your seatbelt. Remember that car accidents are at the top of the list for most death every year and by having educated and safe drivers we can try to lower this number. If anyone would like to gain more knowledge about driving and road safety, then just search up your state’s DMW office and information on this matter should be available to you. Another reliable source is the Driving and Traffic School (dmvedu.org) website where analytics and courses are made to educate drivers.