More Driver Education, Less Tragedies

As a secretary at a popular funeral home in Pensacola, FL, my wife constantly became aware of the latest tragedy and helped distressed family members with funeral plans for their loved ones. She recognized experience never made it easy to comfort someone facing profound regret, guilt, or sorrow. She understood the fact that some deaths were harder to process depending on the deceased’s age & manner of death. Even though violent deaths threatened to influence her future decision-making, she resolved to never allow work to follow her home. However, on one occasion, she disclosed the events of a death to me and it forced me to analyze the driver education system.

My wife explained that on April 10, 2018, around 8 pm, a 28-year-old male cruising on his motorcycle was rear-ended by an intoxicated 45-year-old male driving a pickup truck. Upon impact, the victim launched off the motorcycle and smashed his entire body on the coarse asphalt. Police examined the scene and arrested the intoxicated driver, then the victim was promptly transported to the medical examiner’s office. After being pronounced dead by the medical examiner, he was transferred to the funeral home where his wife visited him.

A young, petite, Hispanic woman with a slim build and pinned up dark hair walked into the funeral home. She possessed a stoic expression on her face, but her eyes looked vast- as if she had recently processed the whole world’s problems inside her mind. Trailing behind her was a gentle, well-dressed 2-year-old boy clutching a coloring book in his hands. The funeral director calmly introduced himself, addressed details regarding her husband’s death, and advised against a viewing. She refused to see him initially, but then insisted upon it.

Inside a subtly cool room, she appeared in disbelief at the sight of him and produced a siren-like cry while repeatedly asking herself why he had not used a helmet. He was nearly unrecognizable as he lay on a metal table, covered by nothing more than an off-white blanket that rose up to his mid-chest. The victim displayed a broken nose, an indented skull just above his right eyebrow, and flushed gray skin with abrasions scattered all over his corpse. Despite the trauma, he exhibited a state of tranquility, as if he was patiently waiting to receive his next marching orders. After several minutes, his wife finally withdrew from the room and began the funeral planning process as their little boy remained unaffected, coloring in the background.

This story resonated with me because, growing up, I dreaded the thought that my father could kill somebody one day due to his alcoholism. My father was a true role model while sober; he remodeled our family home, worked 10+ hours daily, and volunteered any spare time at our church. However, he turned into a monster when under the influence; he insulted others, boasted about accomplishments, and drove recklessly. In his irrational mind, proving his driving capabilities while drunk was more important than his family’s safety.

On one occasion, when I was 12-years-old, my parents argued about his drinking while leaving a party very late at night. My mother offered to drive us home, but my father quickly shut down the request. He raced down the quiet, dimly lit roads, as he struggled to stay in his lane and remain vigilant for police at the same time. I still recall being frozen with fear while my younger sister cried in the seat next to me. Although we arrived home safely by the grace of God, I never stopped questioning why too many people were comfortable driving recklessly with utter disregard of the consequences.

I truly believe driver education is extremely important in producing safer drivers and reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving. According to AAA, “Driver education is associated with a lower incidence of both crashes and convictions- reducing crashes by 4.3 percent and convictions by nearly 40 percent”. It can be inferred that driver education provides a strong foundation; which supports drivers in their mission to comfortably operate vehicles, become aware of their surroundings, and demonstrate compassion towards others on the road. Perhaps, if adult drivers like my father obtained more driver education, there would be less reckless driving and preventable deaths due to vehicular accidents.

In my opinion, three steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. First of all, starting the timer after their initial driving exam, everyone should take mandatory driving recertification every 8 years that introduces new driving laws and reinforces safe driving concepts. Second, both new and experienced drivers should take a one time, in-person course that addresses the emotional side of driving; which includes anxiety caused by peer pressure & road rage, among other things. Finally, all drivers should complete an online course that highlights the various consequences of reckless driving; from some people losing loved ones to other people serving extensive prison time.

I have personally taken several steps in order to be a better driver and help others become safer on the road. I perform routine maintenance on my vehicle in order to ensure adequate performance. I do not condone substance abuse prior to driving and I frequently offer to be a designated driver for intoxicated friends. I constantly practice defensive driving by planning ahead, avoiding distractions, and keeping an eye out for road hazards. Still, I recognize these actions are only the beginning and I aim to do more impactful things in the future.

The truth is that too many vehicular accidents are caused by reckless driving. I wish that it came naturally for people to be selfless and make rational choices, but it does not. Therefore, I strongly believe driver education should be a recurrent task people face during their lifetime. Nevertheless, each individual will ultimately decide whether or not to hold themself accountable and strive for a safer world.