Driving Education: You Are Not The Only Driver On The Road

Over 39 thousand fatal car accidents occur in a single year, with over 42 thousand deaths as a result. No one is safe when there are dangerous drivers on the road, including parents, children, and siblings. Driving is not all fun and games; each time we get behind the wheel, we choose to embrace accountability and duty for adhering to the regulations of the road. Rules are in place to prevent these catastrophic events, yet they are unavoidable due to human frailty and ineptitude. Driving education is essential for each driver on the road since it teaches how to respond to various circumstances that may arise.

Many of us will be “deer in the headlights” when we make a mistake on the road. We will freeze, our motor functions will be impaired, and we will panic. This is the polar opposite of what our instincts should be. Our initial inclination in a dangerous scenario should be to react fast and move out of the line of oncoming cars. After that, we may examine our circumstances and come up with a solution. This is why driver’s education is important: we learn how to handle time-sensitive situations in which we may need to swerve out of the way or maneuver the car in a manner to which we do not confuse other drivers if caught at intersections. If drivers can perfect this ability, we can drastically cut the number of fatalities each year.

The first step for drivers who lack this talent is to enroll in accessible driving education programs to learn about the many circumstances that might arise and the best approach to handle them. Obviously, this is just a precaution in case it happens; nevertheless, we should focus more on avoiding the problem from happening in the first place. This includes driving safely and keeping an eye out for others on the road rather than just oneself. Many people in our world, however, do not listen and inflict immense harm to others. These are the individuals who are driving while intoxicated or in a mental condition that prevents them from making sensible judgments. These individuals have harmed more than just the victim; they have harmed the families of those involved and may have even harmed those accompanying the DUI driver. Unfortunately, I have firsthand experience as a family member on the receiving end of these crashes.

In 2021, my brother had gone out with my other siblings to prepare for his graduation ceremony with a Bachelor’s in Criminology the next day. Coming back from a long day of preparation, they were hungry and went out for food. I had seen my brother one final time before they left and I had no idea it would be the last time I would hear his voice again. The accident happened less than two miles from my house. At this point, my father received a phone call from my sister, who sounded distressed. My dad and I hurried to the location after receiving the call to see two automobiles in awful shape. I saw my elder sister, who was in severe condition, being brought to the hospital in an ambulance. My other sister, who had called earlier, was thankfully unharmed and was able to contact 911 when the tragedy occurred. However, by the time the ambulances arrived, my brother had passed away. My family suffered horrible trauma as a result of the circumstance, and it devastated us. Detectives investigating the case eventually concluded that the other driver caused the collision and was under the influence while driving with an infant in their car. The driver escaped reasonably unscathed, but the young child was paralyzed. A family member has died, a child has been paralyzed, and my siblings and the child have suffered trauma.

I decided to undertake this scholarship because it resonates with me so much, and I want to be able to urge others to drive as safely as possible, not just for themselves but also for others. Even if the incident was an accident, the chance of it increasing due to the driver’s inability to continue driving rationally while in an altered state of awareness. Steps drivers may take to avoid causing accidents like this one include driving only when we are in a regulated emotional, conscious, and alert frame of mind. This simple precaution can help us reduce the overall number of accidents that occur each year by roughly 30%! To summarize, taking driver education classes may help us become more competent on the road in terms of handling different events, driving safely to protect people around us, and understanding the road regulations will keep us safe from causing a serious accident.

Works Cited

“Drunk Driving.” NHTSA, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving#:~:text=Every%20day%2C%20about%2037%20people,a%2014%25%20increase%20from%202020. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

“Fatality Facts 2021: State by State.” IIHS, www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state#:~:text=Posted%20May%202023.-,Fatal%20crash%20totals,in%20which%2042%2C939%20deaths%20occurred. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

“Section 8: Safe Driving.” California DMV, 2 Feb. 2023, www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/safe-driving/.