Safety Measures fot Safe Drivers - Speech or Presentation Example

Brenda Armstrong Persuasive Speech December 2009 Safe Drivers Capture: Everyone is required to be a responsible driver. We need safety measures that are upheld. Motivator: Have you encountered a driver talking on his or her cellular telephone while switching lanes; stopping suddenly without warning, or an elderly person driving too slowly? I think we have. The Division of Motor Vehicles is not going to stop giving out driver´s licenses therefore everyone should learn how to take several measures before becoming a driver. Preview: There are three main groups of people that I will be targeting today. These groups are the third age persons, the young, and the cellular telephone users. Point Support I: Let us first consider the steps that our older generation is able to take, to become better drivers. With age, cognitive skills become impaired (Health News Express). These skills include attention, memory, and visuospatial abilities (the ability to process visual information). As these skills begin to diminish, the ability to become a safe driver also fades. In the next 20 years, the number of elderly drivers (persons 70 and over) is predicted to triple in the United States (baby boomers). As age increases, older drivers generally become more conservative on the road. Many mature drivers modify their driving habits (for instance to avoid busy highways or night-time driving) to match their declining capabilities. Statistics show that older drivers are more likely than younger ones to be involved in multi-vehicle crashes, particularly at intersections. Research on age-related driving concerns has shown that close to the age of 65 drivers face an increased risk of being involved in a vehicle crash. After the age of 75, the risk of driver fatality increases, because older drivers are more vulnerable to both crash-related injury and death. Three behavioral factors in particular may contribute to these statistics: poor judgment in making left-hand turns; drifting within the traffic lane; and decreased ability to change behavior in response to an unexpected or rapidly changing situation. Concerns about the increased number of older drivers and their potentially decreased driving abilities, is growing. A NHTSA study of 1995 FARS (Fatal Accident Reporting System) data reports that senior citizens accounted for: 5% of all people injured in traffic crashes, 13% of all traffic fatalities, 13% of all vehicle occupant fatalities, and 18% of all pedestrian fatalities. It is assumed that if the older generation stops driving, when they know that they are not physically able these accidents may be prevented. Maybe one way of alleviating this problem is to make “senior citizens” retake the driving exam every two to five years. Mandatory driving tests - California requires retesting for anyone involved in a fatal crash or three or more crashes in one year and requires drivers over 70 to retest if they are involved in two or more crashes in one year. Point Support II: Being a young driver does not have the same depth of experience. They need more caution when driving than someone who has been driving for 20 years. Parents need to make sure that they talk to their children about the consequences of their actions. In every motorized country, teenage drivers are disproportionately involved in crashes. The seriousness of this problem has been recognized for decades, but most public policies have had little impact. Almost all US states have adopted some form of a graduated driver licensing, and these laws are proving effective in reducing teenage crashes. The most effective policies address crash risk factors or limit the teenagers driving exposure — for example, night driving and passenger restrictions for beginners and a higher age for initial licensure. General curfews that apply to all late-night activities for 13 to 17 years of age also reduce crashes and crash injuries. Graduated licensing, designed for drivers that are beginning was introduced in New Zealand in 1987. This measure gives the driver an opportunity to gain experience behind the wheel and it is assumed that it will minimize risks. Almost all of the US states have introduced elements of graduated licensing. Florida was a pioneer. Evaluations of graduated licensing systems in the US and Canada have shown they reduce crashes. This is a story that really made me think, as I am a mother of a young driver. When my son Timothy was 16 years old, his friend Joey picked him up to go to another friend´s house to shoot pool. He was supposed to return at 10:00 pm, however, he did not. I started to worry, when I received a call from Joey’s mother Vicki. I noticed that she was upset. I knew I did not want to hear what Vicki had to say. The boys were in the hospital because while her son was driving someone hit them head-on. She did not know how they were so I told her that I would meet her at the hospital. When we arrived, we spoke with the Doctor. He informed us that Vicki’s son Joey had passed away and that my son Timothy was in bad shape and that he did not know if he was going to make it. This was a difficult time for our families. By the grace of God Timmy recovered. Unfortunately, this happens more than wanted with youngsters. I hope this story really makes the younger generation think about what could happen to them and their friends if they do not practice safe driving habits. Crash rates for young drivers are high due to their immaturity combined with driving inexperience. The immaturity is apparent in the young drivers risky driving practices such as speeding. The teenagers lack of experience behind the wheel makes it difficult for them to recognize and respond to hazards. They get into trouble by trying to handle unusual driving situations which may become disastrous. The rate is often higher than when the older people drive. How are the teenagers crash rates changing over time? The number of teenagers (ages 13 to 19) who died in motor vehicle crashes was 8,748 in 1975 and 4,946 in 2007, a decline of 43 percent. Most of the decline occurred between 1975 and 1992 and in 2007, the teenage crash deaths declined by 15 percent (from 5,819 to 4,946). Deaths dropped from 5,159 in 2006 to 4,946 in 2007, making this a 4 percent decline. Point Support III: I am not saying that people should not talk on their cellular telephones while they are driving. I think that the first six months to a year of a teenager learning to drive, the cellular telephones should be used only for emergencies since they need to be focused on the road. The national highway traffic safety administration recommended, the Driven to Distraction: Cell Phones in the Car the Debate over DWY (Driving While Yakking) by Joanne Helperin. More than 1 million U.S. drivers are talking on handheld cellular telephones, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Why is there a problem? Cellular telephones (also called wireless phones) are known as distracters. In a 2008, survey performed by the Nationwide Insurance, showed that 67 percent of the people admitted using a cellular telephone while driving. This has created an obvious concern about the cellular telephone safety usage. Dozens of countries have banned the use of handheld cellular telephones while driving. In the U.S., California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Utah, Washington, D.C. and many others have outlawed the in-vehicle handheld cellular telephone usage. Dozens of states have banned the cellular telephone usage by minors and bus drivers. Many attempts in state legislation have failed or have been tabled. At the core of these legislative attempts is the debate whether DWY — or "driving while yakking" — is truly dangerous. Wireless-phone proponents say that talking on a cellular telephone is the same as or less of a distraction than changing your radio station, trying to control your kids, or eating — none of which are regulated. Since many states have laws that ban distracted driving, they contend that outlawing handheld cellular telephones is penalizing the technology instead of the behavior. A 2005-controlled study of Australian drivers found that cellular telephone users were four times as likely to get into a serious accident. These findings echoed the results of a 1997 study of Canadian drivers, who linked the cellular telephone usage with increased property damage. Whether we choose to admit it or not, driving while yakking is a distraction that may decrease our ability to operate the vehicle effectively. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) analyzed the results of over 120 cellular telephone studies. They found that nearly all of the studies reported that some aspects of the driver´s performance were affected by the mental distraction associated with the cellular telephone usage. The IIHS reported that the telephone conversations typically decreased: reaction time, travel speeds, and increased lane deviations and steering wheel movements. Clearly, now that we have learned the benefits of the cellular telephones, there is no going back. Instead of stewing in traffic, we can conduct business and stay in touch with family and friends. We can let people know when we are running late. If theres a problem on the road, cellular telephones allow us to call for roadside assistance or medical help. We are able to report problems: a drunk driver, a stranded motorist, an obstacle on the road. Drivers also call in traffic reports to radio stations, allowing the rest of the community to benefit from their knowledge. In spite of these benefits, cellular telephones pose a serious risk because they distract us from driving. These are our suggestions for using a cellular telephone safely in your car. Purchase a cellular telephone with a hands free device. Suspend calls in heavy traffic or in bad weather — you need to focus under these hazardous conditions. Do not take notes or look up telephone numbers while driving. Keep conversations short. Inform the person you are calling that you are in a car, and hang up as soon as possible. If possible, place calls when you are not moving. Pull over where possibly safe. Ask a passenger to help. Have someone else make or take the call. Do not engage in stressful or emotional conversations. In Conclusion: These are three ways people may become better drivers. For the new drivers, they should not be permitted to have anyone under the age of 21 in the car with them for the first three to six months. The older drivers should be required to retake the driving exams every two to five years. Everyone who has a cellular telephone should automatically use a hand free device, and it should be mandatory. I hope this has inspired you to become a safe and better driver, if not for your sake, for everyone else´s. Work Cited Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute. March (1996-2009). Q & As: Teenagers-general. Retrieved November 29, 2009, from http://www/iihs.org National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (NHTSA). (1995-2009). Driven to distraction: Cell phones. Retrieved November 29, 2009, from http://www.edmunds.com National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (NHTSA). (1995-2009). Older drivers, elderly driving, seniors at the wheel. Retrieved November 29, 2009, from http://www.smartmotorist.com Read More