Introduction
Vehicle accidents are a very big cause of death in our society, and where the government is often called upon to improve safety. The fact is that it is the drivers who are now more at fault. This essay works to show that even though additional safety measures may help people stay safe on the roads, it is the responsibility of drivers to ensure they remain safe.
Point
If people were more careful at intersections, then they would be safer on the roads
People need to take more care to look at intersections, and to not take as many risks when moving away. Checking the rear mirrors for cyclists and motorcyclists is important, as is making one hundred percent sure that you are not driving into oncoming traffic.
Evidence
Over 36% of pre-crash conditions include vehicles turning at intersections.
Point
There should be no reason to drive off the road
Even if you think you are going to hit a deer, or if another car is driving into oncoming traffic, you should not drive off the road. You should apply the brakes if there is sufficient breaking time behind you, which there should be if the driver behind you is driving correctly.
Evidence
Over 22% of vehicles are driven off the road prior to them crashing.
Point
Driving without being tired and in full knowledge of the rules of the road is essential
People who are tired are more likely to swerve from one lane to another, and they are more likely to make mistakes where they pick the wrong lane. People who are also bad at driving will pick the wrong lane, and this causes accidents.
Evidence
11% of accidents are caused by people driving in the wrong lane
Point
Driving with the correct technique will lower accidents
People doing things such as crossing their hands when steering, or using the break, clutch or accelerator incorrectly will cause accidents. Correct vehicle maintenance is also essential.
Evidence
Over 9% of accidents are caused by people losing control prior to crashing.
Analysis
The USA yearly death count due to vehicle accidents is rarely under 32,000. This means that 36% of deaths is 11520 people. It means 22% is 7040 people, 11% is 3520 people and 9% is 2880 people.
Evaluation
All of this means that around 24,960 of deaths on American roads may have been avoided if people were more conscientious about how they drive their vehicles on the road.
Conclusion
Road traffic collisions and incidents often have more than one person to blame. However, many of the reasons involve the drivers directly, even in cases where they are simply responsible because they were not conscientious of adverse driving conditions.
The government could be pressed to make intersections safer, or to put barriers on every road to stop people going off road. But, the biggest factor is the driver, and there is only so much babying that a government can do when trying to make the roads safer.
Reference
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811059.PDF
