My Future is Possible

Getting behind the wheel in an empty vehicle is a sign of freedom for teenagers but a panic for parent’s. Living in a small town where you hear sirens leaving town and you wonder, where was the accident, what happened, who’s hurt, and so many thoughts. If it was an accident it could have never happened if the driver took driver’s education and the necessary steps to get a proper license.

In my driver’s education course we talked about all of the rules of the road, actually drove with an instructor, and so much more. I will admit that at the very beginning of my driving history was very bad. Me and my parents thought I was ready to do driver’s education, but that wasn’t my case. I was told by the main instructor of the course I took that I was book smart but my driving was a little rough on the basic stuff. I was devastated but I knew the rules of the road. It was just being able to get behind the wheel with a parent and practice. I am lucky that my parents are together and are able to talk about who was going to ride in the vehicle with me driving the vehicle. I was able to drive for the DOT the first time in the middle of an Iowa winter, it was the day after a good snowfall and I wasn’t ready at all, I failed. I knew that if I gave it time, I would be able to get my license and my freedom. Months went by and I drove a couple times a week. The time came, I went through the same beginning process and it was time to start driving. The drive went perfectly. When we got back to the courthouse I walked towards my mom with a smile on my face and the person administering the test said I passed with flying colors. If I didn’t go through drivers education I probably would’ve been given a license and get into a deadly accident the first time in a vehicle all by myself. That is one reason I believe driver education can be a key in reducing the number of driving related deaths.

Living at an intersection that has one set of signs I have seen alot. The yield sign gets blown through all the time and the other direction people do NOT follow the speed limit. I have seen multiple accidents happen right infront of my house, from when I was in preschool to this year, my senior year of high school. The accidents have never been deadly or anyone injured but there has been parts of a vehicle on the road and police contacted. As a younger kid I always concerned about seeing an accident and if they are okay or not. I still worry about if the people involved are alright out of being human but I also know that it could all be solved if they practice what they learned in their driving education course. One summer our family dog got out and ran straight in the middle of the road with no leash or anything. She was lucky and only basically got tapped with the vehicle and her side hit but she was lucky to be alive, I just think to myself imagine if she was a little kid running out she would be dead. The thought of people driving recklessly just, by not following the speed limit in a busy area.

We recently have had an argument in the middle of class about how fast do you drive in a 55 mph speed limit area? I was one of few almost 18 year old adults that said one hundred percent of the time they drive the speed limit. Majority of my classmates said they drive ten more than the speed limit. That just surprised me, but the ones that said they go ten over have also ditched their cars. I am proud to say that one way that I am making myself a better driver and the roads safer while behind the wheel is following the speed limits and making sure the vehicle I am driving is functioning safely as well, not only for me but other ones on the road with me. One way I help others become safer on the road is tell them if I thought they needed to slow down or turn on their side of the road. I do it alot with people from school especially because our high school parking lot is the most dangerous spot in town at 3:12 P.M. because everyone is wanting to get out of there and they don’t slow down some days.

Overall, living in a small town has opened my eyes to what can happen if you don’t follow the rules of the road and don’t take driver’s education. I have seen multiple accidents as far back as I can remember, I drove for the DOT twice and have been accident free my whole driving career, and drive the speed limit everytime I am behind the wheel. I am proud of being a safe and responsible driver.