During graduation week a few years ago, there were a total of four accidents. Four accidents...in 5 days. Thankfully, none of these accidents lead to serious fatalities, but they could have. No ceremony is worth losing your life over. I cannot even begin to imagine the look on my parents’ faces if they were told they would never see me again. The sound of my brother’s cries if he was told we would never be able to laugh together again. Or the anger my best friend would feel if she knew the accident could have been prevented.


It is a daunting fact that in America, over 34,000 deaths are caused by driving every year. Drivers ed could be an essential tool to reduce these deaths. It would clarify questions people have, teach the importance of driving safely, and emphasize the implications of reckless driving. Sometimes, accidents are caused by people honestly not knowing what they are doing is wrong. I propose a simple solution. Teach them. Researchers at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln released the results of a survey of that state’s teen drivers. The results showed that drivers who had taken a drivers ed course were involved in 11.1% of crashes as opposed to 12.9% of those who hadn’t taken a course. The numbers prove that it does, indeed, make a difference to take drivers ed classes.

Other rules that should be implemented to reduce the number of deaths related to driving is a passenger restriction. Having multiple people in a car is a major distraction. It is important to remember that a car is not a social environment, but a means for transportation. By cutting down the number of distractors in a car, we can cut down the number of driving-related deaths. Secondly, it is important to remember why belts are mandatory. Although it is a tale as old as time, many still do not believe the difference a seatbelt can make. NHTSA data shows that wearing a seat belt can reduce the risk of crash injuries by about 50%. If we have stricter regulations on wearing seatbelts, I believe that this can also significantly reduce the number of deaths related to accidents. Lastly, a strict no driving while under the influence rule should always be in place. Marijuana, alcohol, and drowsiness should all be considered dangerous. It should be highlighted that driving in a compromised and driving related deaths are directly correlated.

I strive to practice what I preach. I will make sure to not have an excessive amount of people in the car when I drive, to always wear a seatbelt, and to never drive under the influence. I will never forget the effect it had on me when I learned about those four accidents and how quickly life can slip from under you if you are not careful. Being a driver can have serious implications. It is time that we start facing them head on.