Name: Danny Hamed
From: Pearland , Texas
Votes: 0
Driving:
One of the Most Underrated Privileges Today
Millions
of teenagers look to driving as a great freedom. Teens see driving as
another step to growing up, and it allows us to go or do whatever we
want. However, the sole ability of being trusted enough to operate a
car is an underrated privilege, as it is drowned out by the rush of
freedoms related to driving. This may lead arrogance while driving, a
possibly fatal mistake. According to the NHTSA and Wikipedia, 2012’s
highway fatalities are approximately equal to the number of U.S
combat deaths in the Korean War, roughly 33,000.
This
brings up the importance of drivers ed, especially in its role
in preventing drivers from becoming a statistic. Drivers ed has
a major role in reducing then number of deaths via driving. These
schools and online programs teach teenagers how to drive, and should
also focus heavily on just how great of a privilege driving is.
Driving is dangerous if the driver does not fully comprehend the
risks to both themselves and others their reckless or dangerous
driving causes. In nearly all aspects of life, including driving,
education is one of the biggest methods of preventing danger and
allowing all to enjoy the activity.
In
addition to education, the integration of apps and devices that can
be plugged into the car to monitor a person’s driving habits can be
another step to reduce the amount of driving-related deaths. These
habits and statistics may be sent to a third party, such as a parent
or significant other. This may work in two ways; the first is that
the recipient of the data can see the habits of the driver and, if
the recipient is a parent, for example, may ban a teenager from
driving until they have proven they can drive safely. The second way
this may reduce driving-related deaths stems from the drivers
knowing, or at least thinking, that everything they do is monitored.
This may compel them to drive better since they are under the
impression that they are being watched, even if the device is not
actually transferring data to someone.
I,
the writer, have thankfully never experienced or directly seen
someone drive dangerously; all I have seen are the aftermath: tow
trucks, wrecked cars, and news stories.
Being
a high school senior who does drive, I know I am hardly perfect,
although I still drive safely. Steps that anyone can use to be better
drivers include thinking that you have someone in the car with you or
that everything you do is being recorded and watched, as, at least to
me, this makes me drive safer.
For
there to be so many unnecessary deaths towards something viewed as an
extension of one’s freedom is sad and eye-opening, and with these
steps and increased drivers ed, there can be a decrease to the
amount of those unfortunately killed while or by someone driving
recklessly or dangerously.
