Driver’s Education: Why It’s Needed and Necessary

As adolescents get older in life they become introduced to driving and being on the road through their peers, parents, or social media. From vehicles such as cars to bikes and trains there are a multitude of ways that’s accessible for someone to get around the city. But one of the main modes of transportation is through cars. Those loud sounding, gas guzzling, asphalt breaking vehicles are some of the most common devices that we use to get around, and they can be extremely dangerous if used improperly. There is a reason why everyone must take a driver’s education class before they can get on the road. I want to discuss with you today why the education of being on the road carries such an importance in our day to day lives if we want to drive said vehicles.

Texting and driving. It’s one of the most common distractions when it comes to driving, and it’s one of the most dangerous as well. It impairs you visually, mentally, and cognitively as it takes your focus off the road. According to Fobes, 13 % of accidents that came from texting and driving resulted in fatalities (Forbes 2023). Although it may seem very minor texting and driving could flip your world upside down in a matter of seconds (no pun intended). I am a huge advocate for the awareness of texting and driving because I was in a car crash that resulted from someone being distracted on their phone.

January 15, 2021. I will never forget this date as it is engraved in my mind. This day was the day I was the closest to death in my life. I was 18 at the time (didn’t have a car at the time and was still completing driver’s ed) and my grandmother came to pick me up and take me to Wilson, NC which is our hometown to see and visit family. While she was on the road a driver had stopped in the middle of the highway due to him crashing from texting and driving. It happened so fast that my grandmother didn’t have enough time to safely move us out of the way and we ended up colliding with him at about 60-70 mph (the crash happened on I-40 so the posted highway speed limit was 60). I was in the passenger seat and in the picture I uploaded above this paragraph you could see the airbag was deployed; all in all it was a bad experience. I blacked out for a second when the impact happened and I had a minor concussion upon waking up. I looked around to see the car in shambles, and the first thing I did was look at my body to make sure I wasn’t impaled, crushed or anything of that nature. Then I looked at my grandmother and shook her, thankfully she was alright and her parental senses kicked in because she didn’t check on herself. Her first instinct was to pull me out of the car from her side and make sure that I was alright before she did anything. My ribs were in pain and I was a little dazed from the incident but I didn’t have anything major happen to me or my grandmother. I learnt this day the importance of safely driving and even though it wasn’t our fault, I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t text or drive.

There’s plenty of methods that we should reinforce upon both new and current drivers to make sure that everybody drives safely. We should all wear seatbelts as it is a precautionary method that protects us for our safety, it is also the law and it’s illegal to not be wearing one while in a moving car. Adhere to all traffic laws, safety signs, etc. Be mindful of the speed limit and stay aware of other drivers around you. Stay aware and be prepared of the weather as that can inhibit your ability to drive depending on the situation (heavy rain, snow, etc). Make sure that your vehicle is properly maintained and that your tires are good on air, brakes aren’t worn down, headlights and bulbs aren’t dim, windows are clean, and that the engine has enough oil to operate. Last but not least try to stay distraction free. Try to stay off your phone, change clothes, eat food, and do anything that would prevent you from being fully focused on the road. You can take your eyes off the road for a few seconds and end up crashing into someone or landing in a ditch. 

At the end of the day driving is a very fun activity and it could be enjoyed safely. Being able to get from point A to point B without walking is a luxury that many people seem not to think about. As long as we practice safe driving habits on the road, getting to our destination won’t seem like a daring and dangerous task.