Students at Grand Valley State University likely spent a lot of time traveling over holiday break, myself included. If you were headed to see family or hitting the road for a vacation, it’s probable that during your journey you encountered some pretty horrific driving. Whether dealing with unsafe lane changes or speeding, safety on the road is an issue I have been facing since I got my license. However, I can’t help but notice that driving seems to becoming more dangerous as time goes on.
I am not the only person noticing this increase in unsafe driving behavior. According to Nationwide’s 2023 Driving Behaviors Survey, over 90% of participants say others on the road are becoming more aggressive, reckless and driving faster. This statistic is up since 2022, which reflected 88% of participants describing an increase in aggressive driving. I find this startling, and believe that our society normalizes certain behaviors that are to blame. Having an individualistic culture encourages drivers to become absorbed into their own routines, often with a disregard for others’ safety.
When you begin driver’s training courses, one of the first things you are taught is that driving is a group activity. While you may feel as if you are alone inside your vehicle, you are sharing the road with countless other drivers. While it is important to follow basic traffic laws, it is equally, and I would argue, more important to be aware of the flow of traffic, as well as the actions of others on the road. However, I feel this mindset is becoming less and less prominent in drivers’ minds, as we are becoming desensitized to the act of driving.
In our culture, driving is a necessary part of many Americans’ day-to-day routine in getting to work, school and countless other activities. When we drive multiple times a day, the act starts to feel like a mindless activity, and not a space to be aware and engaged. I find myself feeling as if I’m in airplane mode when I drive to work for an early shift or home after a long day. At the risk of sounding hypocritical, I think this mindset largely contributes to many people not being aware of the importance and responsibility of safe driving.
In addition to becoming desensitized to the act of driving, I believe a socialized lack of consideration is a large contributor to hazardous driving. In society, individualism is emphasized, meaning people are focused on their own individual success and independence as opposed to functioning with a collectivist mindset. This means our decisions are typically less focused on benefiting all people and more focused on personal gain– a mindset that can occur on a subconscious level. I believe this increase in individualism is largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the worldwide lockdown, in which social behaviors were completely thrown. Since individuals spent so much time in isolation, transitioning back into a community-mindset is easier said than done.
This individually-motivated mindset that we have adopted, in turn, transfers to our driving. It is easy to feel as if the only way of reaching a destination on time is by driving fast. Due to our individualistic culture, we often make driving decisions that benefit us, while putting others at risk. I don’t think the normalcy of reckless driving should be an excuse to rush. Being late should not warrant putting others and yourself at risk. Instead, your goal should be to put your driving performance first. If this means employers need to be more lenient when it comes to arriving at work, then so be it.
The bottom line is that after my experience traveling for the holidays, I do not feel supported by other drivers sharing the road with me. It feels like everyone’s goal is to get to their destination as fast as possible, and drivers disregard how their rushed commute impacts others. I believe that as a society, we need to work together to improve individualistic mindsets and behaviors while driving. When getting behind the wheel, we should recognize the importance and risks of driving. Rather than put your own commute above others, we as a society must slow down, and patiently drive in an effort to improve everyone’s traveling experience.
