Driver education is important to driving in the same way that gun safety is important to shooting. An untrained driver poses the same risks to others as an untrained shooter. Both pose devastating results for those who are the victims of irresponsible personal behaviors that can be overcome by training aimed at driver safety or arms safety. Driver education is the essential threshold for driver and public safety. Whether or not you believe you have enough skills to handle driving without training, you are not only risking your own life, but everyone else around you on the road. Since I am from Minnesota and have to deal with snow, it was crucial for me to go through training to learn how to not only drive safely and carefully but what steps I need to take in case of an accident on the roads which is just as important as the skill of driving. In conclusion, when you take the risk of not taking driver's education, you are only putting your life at risk but also everyone else's lives on the road due to a lack of responsibility.
What steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving?
Voice-activated controls, made possible by modern technologies like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, make driving safer. It only takes a few seconds to do tasks like calling your mother or skipping your least favorite song. Every technology has drawbacks, such as being inefficient or too slow, which makes us want to take our eyes off the road for a moment to solve. Since we aren't paying complete attention to the road, the reality of a one-second glance away from the road can turn fatal. This is when having a friend or sibling there can help, as they can quickly switch up your music or send back a text to your loved one. Finding a healthy mix between family and friends who help you stay focused rather than sidetracked is crucial. For instance, you can help yourself by telling your friend that you don't feel comfortable driving together if you know they will constantly be showing you pictures and asking to take selfies. You should address them about how you feel, even though it will be difficult because your life is far more important. One of the best ways to prevent distracted driving incidents is to find the correct balance between having trustworthy friends or family to help when needed and modern car technologies.
What steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road?
Before we leave each other's houses, my friends and I like to do something new. For example, if we know someone is driving somewhere, we will say, "Text me when you get home." It's important to let your loved ones know that you prefer that they text you when you arrive home rather than while they're driving. After expressing this, I've seen that my friends are less likely to text me while driving and instead wait to text me till they get home. It may be difficult to begin telling your loved ones to wait because you may feel uneasy, but it is preferable to do so than to receive a phone call informing you that they have crashed. My buddies and I use the Life360 app to monitor our driving habits, just like most parents do. Because we now know everyone's location, Life360 not only helps us advise our friends to slow down when we see how fast they are driving, but it also saves us from having to phone them to find out where they are. In the end, it is important to have a group of friends who also know how much it means to get home safely.
Have you ever had an experience of being in a car accident or have seen your friends or family members driving irresponsibly?
I am extremely grateful to say that neither my family or friends have been in a car accident. Being in high school it is hard to trust getting into a car with someone who just recently got their license but thanks to their recent training, they are more attentive and patient on the road compared to my parents or old friends. For example, when your training is fresh in your mind you are more likely to remember the safety protocols compared to my parents who did not have the same learning experiences.