According to the CDC, eight teens die each day in car accidents. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death of U.S. teens. When someone gets on the road, all they think is that they are responsible for everyone else in the vehicle. In reality, the driver is in charge of the lives around them as well. Stepping into a vehicle means that a driver must be aware of other drivers, and conscious of decisions made by themselves and other drivers. One mistake, as simple as answering a text, can take a life.
As the roads begin to get more crowded, it is important to be a safe driver because one bad decision can take someone’s life, or alter it permanently.
As students get out for spring break, the roads tend to have more traffic than normal days. A trip to Houston from Willis normally takes around one hour, but in the coming weeks, people could be stuck in traffic for around two hours, which is more time that people do not have to be on the road. Traffic is caused by a multitude of things, reasons like car accidents and unaware drivers are the most common. When in traffic, people will cut their vehicle in front of other vehicles to get out the fastest, but in reality, they are causing more traffic because lane switching causes people to slow down and adjust. While most people have the mentality to worry about themselves on the road, they should be conscious of how their decisions affect other individuals. Decisions like running red lights, speeding and consumption of alcohol are all common causes of accidents that can have long-lasting detrimental effects.
When teenagers freshly get their license, they want to drive everywhere. While the freedom feels nice and all, safety measures should be taken. Another CDC statistic states that newly licensed teens have a crash risk that is particularly high during the first couple of months of licensure. When teenagers get their licenses, they overestimate their confidence as well. Crashes by teenagers are mostly related to speeding and distracted driving. When speeding, teenagers feel risky and impatient, which causes them to cause commotion and puts other people at risk. The other factor, distracted driving is a big issue with teenagers. When teens, and anyone for that matter pick up the phone, they take their eyes off the road to do something. Texting and driving and focusing on something other than the road are reasons for distracted driving, which can cause someone to swerve and hit someone or run a red light. In the event an accident is caused, a seat belt can save a life. While some people think seat belts do not matter as much, seat belts have been proven to reduce the risk of death in a crash by 61 percent.
Driving safety is crucial for the lives of everyone on the road.
People can promote driving safety by observing their surroundings, going the speed limit, and being conscious of any decisions they make. Driving appropriately can prevent people from getting tickets and/or hurting themselves and/or others.
