The Teenage Dream

Every teenager has the same dream: to be able to finally get behind the wheel of a car and drive it wherever they want, whenever they want. Imagine being out on the open road, being able to visit your friends, or even getting off your bike for the first time in years so you can go to school all by yourself. When we are behind the wheel, we have all had experiences in which we wished we could feel a certain degree of independence. However, this comes with a significant amount of responsibility. Driver education is a tool that helps make the roads safer not only for yourself, but also for other people. It benefits everyone. It educates you on the regulations of the road, teaches you how to operate a vehicle safely, and emphasizes the significance of driving responsibly.

Education on safe driving practices can help people comply with driving laws. Everything from obeying traffic signs to following lane changes and speed limits (even though I know most people don’t). The implementation of these traffic limits was done with the intention of keeping everybody safe. If everyone does what they’re supposed to, the number of accidents will drop significantly.

The ability to properly operate a car is another skill that may be learned through driver education. Learn the correct way to fix a flat tire, check your oil, and even the simplest maneuvers, such as moving the gear shift from park to drive. You should do these various tasks since they will come in handy in the event of an emergency in any kind of circumstance. When something unexpected happens while you’re driving, having the skills necessary to drive the vehicle safely will help you avoid collisions with other vehicles.

One of the most important aspects of driver education that is taught in class is driving responsibility. Distracted driving is extremely dangerous and can seriously injure those around you. Texting, snapping, or even watching a video are all forms of distracted driving that take your attention away from the road and can lead to an accident.

Among the various steps that can be taken to reduce the number of traffic-related deaths is requiring all drivers to complete a driving education course before receiving their license. My mom took my twin and I to a defensive driving course when we were 16 years old, where we learned how to operate our vehicle in unsafe circumstances and how to control the situation. More classes, such as the defensive driving course, will help others become more aware of their surroundings, resulting in a safer driving environment.

Many different situations in my life have highlighted the importance of responsible driving. I was driving down I-4 to Orlando, and there were cars in the left lane that were completely stopped due to traffic, and I was cruising down at about 50 miles per hour. A car pulled out in front of me as I was driving, and I thought I was going to hit them. Fortunately, I was able to act quickly and switch lanes at the last second before colliding with the car and causing a serious accident that involved not only myself but also the driver who had pulled out in front of me. This could be a different topic if I was distracted by my phone or not paying attention to my surroundings.

You can improve your driving skills by not texting and driving, making a playlist of all of your favorite songs, or even calling instead of texting. While many people believe that they must send that text immediately or else something bad will happen, I can assure you that it can wait. Turning on do-not-disturb will prevent you from receiving the notification, which will keep you from becoming distracted and causing you to feel compelled to respond to the message. Choosing a song is more distracting than you think. When you are looking for your favorite songs and trying to type in the song or even going through all of the different albums until you find the one song, your eyes will be taken off the road and you will become distracted. Calling rather than texting will also help you stay safe on the road, and no, I don’t mean facetiming. When you call, you can talk while remaining focused on the road if it is an emergency. While calling may cause you to be distracted from completely focusing, it will keep your eyes focused and allow you to react quickly if anything happens.

Overall, driver education is a tool that will not only keep you safe, but also others. It provides drivers with the knowledge and skills they need to become responsible drivers and respond appropriately in difficult situations. I believe we have what it takes to become responsible drivers. I believe that if we all work in tandem, we can make our roads safer and avoid avoidable deaths.