Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car crashes in the United States. In 2015, 3,477 victims died in distracted driving accidents (SGK Lawyers) and even more experience some form of injury like whiplash. Because of statistics like this, there is controversy on implementing stricter driver’s license requirements and talk of increasing the legal driving age. If the United States wants to keep the legal driving age and restrictions the same, they should begin implementing driving app incentives, updating defensive driving courses, or bringing back drivers ed to public schools.
Implementing a Driving App
Each year driving apps become more and more sophisticated so that they can analyze your driving and offer incentives for driving safely. Snapshot by Progressive and Drivewise by Allstate reward drivers for driving less overall, avoiding late-night driving, limiting hard braking & accelerating, staying off your phone, and driving less. Programs like these at a young age could even help young drivers develop good driving habits to help keep them safe on the road in the long run.
Factors in Snapshot by Progressive
- Time of Day while Driving
- Changes in Speed
- Amount of Driving
- Using Phone While Driving
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving courses, both online and in-person have been proven to make a difference in drivers, but there is room for improvement. The National Security Council has even pointed to these significant differences:
- Decrease the risk of motor vehicle collisions and traffic violations
- Minimize exposure to liability risks and legal costs
- Reduce insurance premiums and workers’ compensation claims
- Lower vehicle repair bills and replacement expenses
- Protect business operations and brand identity
The biggest issue with many driving courses is that they’re outdated sometimes even to the point that the information being taught is no longer accurate or just not user friendly enough for users to retain information. In this digital age, some companies like Aceable are beginning to integrate their course into a mobile version and even an application you can download that look just as user friendly as others you already have on your smartphone. By giving greater incentives to drivers to take courses like this or even requiring course completion in lew of a fine for a traffic violation, drivers can educate drivers on the risks they experience and how to combat them.
Drivers Ed in Schools
Due to budget cuts in the education system, many public schools no longer offer drivers education to students. Future drivers used this valuable resource to learn the rules of the road for free before testing for their license. Currently, students interested in a license need to take a driving course from their local driving schools and pay upwards of $500. Students who cannot afford such programs, depending on the state, need only wait till 18 to take their driving exam without needing a driving course. By circumnavigating the necessity for a class, many drivers slip through the cracks and miss fundamental driving safety norms and laws. By reintroducing driver education in public schools, students of all demographics could uniformly learn safe driving habits that ultimately would lead to safer roads for all.
In order to decrease distracted driving among young drivers, it is imperative that driving apps, updated defensive driving, and drivers ed in public schools happen. These preventative methods help educate young drivers to drive better on the roads, and, therefore, protect other drivers from possible injury.
If you have questions regarding auto collisions, schedule a free consultation with an attorney at Steinberg, Goodman & Kalish. Their attorneys will examine your situation and provide an honest case evaluation. Call them today at 312-818-3704.
