The Serious
Implications of Being A Driver

Driving
in America is seen as almost a rite of passage to adulthood for most
teenagers, but what most teens fail to understand is how deadly
driving can be. Between driving under the influence, riding without a
seatbelt, texting and driving, and joyriding, a lot of teens don’t
practice responsible driving habits. Bringing more awareness towards
the consequence of irresponsible driving can save numerous teen
lives.

Drivers ed
reduces death because it informs drivers of unsafe behaviors that
could lead to accidents. It also teaches people how deadly cars can
be towards themselves and others if used incorrectly.

Having more
efficient and affordable public transportation can reduce the number
of driving related deaths because less people would be on the road,
and trained drivers would be behind the wheel. A second way to reduce
driver related deaths could be by leveraging technology to make more
affordable and accessible self-driving vehicles. By utilizing smart
vehicles, human distractions such as texting or eating while driving
wouldn’t be an issue because technology can be programmed to
perform specific tasks, and is not affected by human error. Forcing
people to take drivers ed every time they receive a driving
citation, is a third great way to reduce the number of deaths related
to driving because it would annoy drivers by inconveniencing them,
which may result in them being more responsible when they are behind
the wheel.
For example, two
car accidents that I remember were caused by other drivers being on
their phone, not paying attention, or by not following proper driving
etiquette. If they had been in smart cars, this wouldn’t have been
an issue because the technology would have been sensing the movement
around it and prevented the accidents from happening. I have also
personally witnessed family members driving irresponsibly by being on
their phones, eating, or searching though bags while driving, which
distracts them from properly watching the road. This behavior can be
avoided by making public transportation more efficient and
affordable.

As a future driver, I pledge to pay attention to the road and my
surroundings while I’m driving, and I can try to convince family
and friends to practice safe driving habits.