Safer Roads

Many fatal car accidents stem from poor decisions that would not be made if the driver at fault had an adequate driving education. From swerving back onto the road after drifting, to having the incorrect lights on while driving at night. Proper driving classes cover what to do in select situations to avoid harm. The classes help drivers prepare for possible dangers on the road, leading to less acting on fearful or ignorant impulses. More drivers taking them would result in safer roads for everyone and the amount of deaths from car accidents every year lessening. Accredited driver’s education is heavily associated with lower accident rates, as well as less arrests for driving related crimes.

I have been in a car accident before, I have personally witnessed reckless and irresponsible driving from my family members and have been told even more instances of decisions made that led to bad accidents. Not paying attention to surroundings, speeding, and risky decisions on the road being the main culprits. While driver’s generally maintaining focus on the road can prevent car accident deaths, mandated driver’s education would reduce the number to an even lower amount. People would be well prepared for nearly every predicament on the road and emphasizing what the dangerous or even fatal results of bad decisions like speeding, or your eyes not being on the road can put things into perspective for drivers.

I personally have taken a Driver’s education course and it has altered how I see the road and what decisions I make when I am on it. An example being what to do if you drift off of the yellow lines on the road and onto grass. Many drivers become scared in this situation and violently swerve back onto the road, which very often results in a collision with another vehicle that was also on the road. I was taught that grass, contrary to popular belief, is not something to be deathly afraid of in the car. In fact, calmly turning your car back onto the road after checking your mirrors for your surroundings, is a much better decision than jerking the wheel as quickly as possible. Which sounds obvious when put that way but it is not always taught to drivers as a solution, and when someone does not know what to do in potentially dangerous circumstances, they will do the first thing that comes to mind.

Other issues that are covered regardless of if a driver takes an educational class, are using drugs or drinking alcohol before being on the road or while, and texting while driving. Both of these have become illegal, not using your phone while driving, specifically being passed in more recent years because of the sheer numbers of fatalities constantly rising as the world became more technologically advanced. It is another issue that seems obvious, your main focus should always be what is going on around you with other drivers, not a text message or phone call. And obviously being under the influence impairs driving of all things given how much focus and informed decision making skills it requires. Yet these things are still so common, and people often play with the semantics of both. “Oh I have a high alcohol tolerance, one drink won’t impact my driving.” “Since I’m at a red light right now I can text or scroll on my phone. I can’t possibly get hurt in that position.” When in reality, yes a singular alcoholic beverage can temporarily impair the skills one needs to drive and just because someone is not on the verge of blacking out does not mean it is okay to drive. Even while you’re at a red light you need to pay attention to the road as you need to know who has the right of way, and when you have it yourself. Both of these were also taught to me during my Driver’s education course. People – formerly including me – think some variations of these are okay when it is modeled to them or are not detailed as being wrong for a clear reason.

On my part, I know I can become a better and safer driver by attending more accredited driver’s education classes and lessons (as they have already helped me immensely), reading the driver’s handbook, and always having the road be my sole focus while driving. I can help others by encouraging them to do the same for their own safety and others on the road with them, as well as pointing out if they are distracted and need to keep focus on the road or calling out any reckless behavior. It takes a lot of work but anything is better than the loss of lives over the slightest bad decision on the road.