With the recent tragedies in our hometown, making safe decisions while driving is likely on the forefront of many people’s minds. There are often feelings of helplessness surrounding death, but many car accidents are human error and according to the Department of Transportation, nearly 94% are avoidable if you follow safe driving practices.

A study done between 2004 and 2008 ranked South Carolina’s I-26 as one of the top 50 deadliest highways in the US. Their research accounted for an average of 0.73 fatal accidents per mile. With a drastic increase of mobile usage in recent years, you can only imagine how much worse that number is now. Car accidents are the number one killer of American teens, accounting for 36% of all deaths to people between the ages of 15 and 19.

One of the biggest causes of fatal crashes is distracted driving. In 2018, there are more things to be distracted by now than ever before, and we need to be more aware of the consequences of driving while distracted. Distracted driving includes checking your phone, texting, eating, listening to loud music, or anything else that takes your attention off the road.

There are strict laws surrounding the use of cell phones while driving, but some states are getting even more serious. Washington state now considers texting while driving an E-DUI. Their reasoning was that when you drive with a cellphone, you are more dangerous than someone driving with a .08 blood-alcohol level. It will also go on the driver’s record and be reported to their insurance company.

There are other things that you can do to be safer on the roads, like insisting that your passengers wear seat belts. If they try to argue, explain that you won’t drive them if they don’t. The consequences, both for you and your passenger, are too severe to ignore. If you were to get in a car accident, you can get charged with vehicular manslaughter if it results in the death of one of your passengers. In South Carolina, the law states that it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure every passenger under 18 is wearing a seatbelt.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to make good decisions while behind the wheel. There’s just too much at stake.