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Driver education is essential to reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving, as this type of education makes people aware of the risks of driving. Because driving has become such a standard form of transportation, many do not fully understand the injuries and deaths that occur every day as a result of reckless and distracted driving. Those educated through driver education programs are made aware of both driving’s dangers and the actions that drivers can take to reduce them. Driver education is essential to reducing the number of deaths that occur as a result of driving because these courses teach students the habits and skills of safe drivers.
Drivers can take many smaller-scale steps to prevent the tragic loss of lives on the road. The habits that drivers should adopt to prevent deaths associated with driving are covered in defensive driving: wearing a seatbelt, avoiding intoxication, dodging distractions from phones and car screens, and following the speed limit. Wearing a seatbelt is the most important thing a person can do to prevent deaths on the road. I learned this when I was in the trauma unit of the hospital in the fifth grade because of an injury I experienced. My injury was not caused by a car accident, but in the room next to me were twin girls who were there because of a driving incident. Neither wore a seat belt when the wreck happened, so they flew out of their seats and through the windows. Their injuries were traumatic and painful, as I could hear them moaning and suffering in the room next door constantly. Seeing this firsthand caused me to understand the preventable nature of not wearing a seatbelt. So many injuries and deaths on the road are preventable through these safe driving measures of drivers and passengers, including wearing a seat belt. Another safe driving measure that can prevent deaths caused by driving is avoiding intoxication in any way. Not taking drugs while driving applies to both illegal substances, which no one should be taking even if they are not driving, and medications that have impairing side effects like drowsiness or dizziness. Additionally, drivers must avoid the distractions of modern-day technology while driving. It is necessary to avoid using phones or car screens to change music, navigation systems, or related activities until the vehicle is parked and no other unsafe drivers are around. The last critical practice of a defensive driver that prevents deaths from driving is not to exceed the speed limit.
Additionally, many larger-scale steps can be taken by car production companies and states in the U.S. to empower people to reduce the number of deaths that occur because of driving. One step car production companies can take is not to allow cars to be shifted out of park until their driver and additional passengers buckle in with their seatbelts. Instead of cars only having alerts telling passengers to fasten their seatbelts, the safety regulation of forcing passengers to buckle up before the car can shift out of park must be enacted. This regulation will keep the roads safer for all drivers and passengers, so if someone gets in a wreck, there will be a significant reduction in the number of injured or killed people since those in the car will be held in by their seatbelts. Additionally, every U.S. state should set a law preventing drivers from having phones in their hands while driving. Most states in the United States do have laws, big or small, related to this issue, but many are too lenient. No drivers should be able to have their phones in hand while the car is out of park. Phones are a huge distraction and cause countless driving-related deaths each year. To this degree, cars should also be produced in a way where the front seat car entertainment screens must be locked, with those in the front seat unable to use the screen while the car is moving. Though phones are perceived by most as a more significant distraction than entertainment centers that come in automobiles automatically, these entertainment centers can be dangerous to use while driving. They distract drivers and shift their attention away from the road, increasing the risk of wrecks and related deaths.
I’ve grown to understand the dangers of driving and how to reduce those dangers through my father’s wisdom and knowledge regarding the risks of driving. My dad is a claims specialist for an auto insurance company, handling high-dollar car accident claims. Every day, he sees horrible injuries and deaths as a result of driving. Driving is much more dangerous than the average person thinks, and through his job, I have realized how much driving distracted or intoxicated can change someone's life for the worse in a single moment. Driver education is invaluable for enlightening drivers about the dangers of being on the road.
To become a better and safer driver and help others become safer on the road, I can remind myself daily of the importance of defensive driving. I have taken a driver’s education course and still have some informational materials they gave out. I can review these materials monthly to review the habits and skills I should utilize to be a safe driver on the road, protecting myself and others. As a passenger, I will assist the driver in not being distracted by keeping the music at a low volume, not allowing them to use any devices while driving, and staying aware of their surroundings. I will also remind friends and family of my experience with the girls in the hospital who did not wear their seatbelts and of my father’s job in auto insurance, reminding them of the dangers that come with driving and how these can be easily avoided.