How often do you hear sirens? How often do you see posts on social media or an article on the news about minor car accidents? What about major and even fatal accidents?
If I had to guess, you could probably experience at least one of these things every single day, whether it is seeing a post about another accident on Highway 92 or hearing sirens in the middle of class. This means someone in our vicinity is affected by car accidents every day. In fact, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT), in the past ten years in Nebraska alone, there were about 30,000 to 35,000 crashes each year. This equates to one motor vehicle accident about every 15 minutes. At an even closer range, in Saunders County in 2019, there were over 200 crashes, resulting in over 100 injuries and 4 fatalities. We as a journalism staff believe these numbers are far too high, but with a few simple changes to our driving habits, they can be lowered and accidents can be reduced.
These accident statistics could be greatly reduced if every driver had a greater sense of responsibility while driving. There are many different causes of accidents that result in property damage, injuries and death, such as alcohol consumption, distracted driving, reckless driving and road conditions. Although you cannot control road conditions or what others do that might cause accidents, you can control how you drive. However, there are many things that have become a norm while driving that increase the chances of getting into a car accident, such as being on a mobile device while driving and excessive speeding. Stereotypically, teens and young adults are viewed as more likely to make these poor decisions while driving. According to NDOT, 25.9 percent of all crashes in Nebraska in 2019 involved drivers aged from 15 to 24. Putting your phone away when you drive, sticking to the speed limit and avoiding other distractions all the time are a few easy ways to take on greater responsibilities as a driver. If each of us were to hold ourselves a little more accountable, it would limit the amount of distracted drivers on the road, decreasing the odds of an accident.
While you can be a very safe driver and make a lot of good choices while driving, there is sadly always a chance of getting in an accident. Luckily, wearing your seatbelt is an effective precautionary measure that costs you nothing to use and could save you, as well as your passengers, everything. You can even be a defensive driver by taking a second look before going into an intersection and looking ahead on the road to be prepared for potential hazards. Of course there are no guarantees, but being a prepared and safe driver can make all the difference on the roads.
It might seem easy to brush off these tips or think that nothing bad could ever happen, but the reality is there were over 200 fatalities in Nebraska in 2020 from motor vehicle accidents and almost 15,000 injuries, about 1,300 of which were disabling, according to NDOT. So, there are a lot of people affected by driving mistakes and lack of attention while driving; one moment could alter someone’s life forever. All in all, being an attentive and aware driver is something that people do not always realize the importance of until it is too late. So, drive safely—because your life and the lives of others around you depend on it. Do not wait until next time you hear sirens or see a tragic post to be reminded of the responsibility you have as a driver to make a change—make a change now.
