In such an individualized and fast-paced world, selfish actions are frighteningly common as it pertains to the road. I’m sure we are all familiar with the breakneck nature of aggressive drivers, as well as the passive danger of unconfident drivers. With incidents ranging from stupidity to outright fatality, we are truly living in the age of road rage. Coincidentally, the high cortisol levels associated with stress may be leading to more fatal accidents.
One of the leading causes of death in the U.S happens to be unintentional injury, which includes car accidents. In California alone, there are over 200,000 car crashes annually. Throughout the country, the annual number of car crashes exceeds 6 million. Per the U.S General Services Administration, that’s one car crash every five seconds. Additionally, an estimated 20,190 car crashes resulted in death for the year of 2022.
While car crashes are extremely common, pedestrians and those who choose to ride a bike are also vulnerable. Every day, students arriving to and leaving school must deal with the implications of congested traffic. This includes heightened frustration, speeding, the running of a red light or stop sign, driving through a crosswalk despite a pedestrian having the right of way, cutting off other cars, and switching lanes sporadically (especially when there is no room between cars).
(Photos are a recreation) (Margareta Grant-Dreher)
In an effort to connect road rage to our community at Inspire, I spoke with Lilah White (12). While she was crossing on second and Arcadian, a driver going past the speed limit nearly hit her. In fact, the car ended up not an inch away from her. Here is what she had to say on the matter: “It was really scary. It was scary because I was afraid that I might have scratched the driver’s car, and that they would yell at me. I was lucky I didn’t get hit”. Lilah also added “please stay safe and pay attention to where you’re driving, especially if you are in a place with kids or teenagers”.
Lilah is not the only one who seems to be frustrated with the driving near Chico High and Inspire. Cheryl Grant, my mother, is a kindergarten teacher. She drives home from school every day, and therefore has experience with the mess of traffic near the high schools. When I asked for her input, she likened the people’s driving to “kindergartners who do not know how to form a line” (meaning the dissolution of organization).
So, what can you do? The most useful tips for pedestrians include: cross at a crosswalk/intersection, stay on the sidewalk as often as possible, and wait for cars to pass first regardless of who has the right of way, and remain attentive (i.e, look both ways when crossing the street and putting your devices away). While in the car: wear your seat belt, follow the speed limit, do not text or call anyone while driving, refrain from aggressive actions, and of course, know the rules of the road.
While driving may seem scary, it is an incredibly useful tool. Just use it wisely!