The Role of Driver’s Ed in Safe Driving

Though studies have revealed differing results in regards to driver education reducing the number of crashes, injuries, and deaths as a result of driving, I feel more confident driving after taking a driver’s education course. I now know what to do in situations that may seem straightforward to experienced drivers like traffic lights being out at an intersection and I have general guidelines I follow when driving such as only switching lanes in front of a semi if I can see their headlights in my rearview mirror. People preach “Don’t drink and drive” until it is ingrained in young drivers’ brains. Of course that is a very serious issue but another less-discussed, incredibly important issue is distracted driving, especially with the prevalence of cell phones in our daily lives. The vast majority of Americans own cell phones which contributes to scarily high statistics such as using a phone while driving causes 1.6 million crashes every year.

There are many preventative measures to take to reduce the number of deaths related to driving including staying focused, aware, and preventing distractions. It is important to not only focus on your own driving but also that of others around you. For example, pay attention to other drivers who may be distracted and a potential source of danger. Additionally, pedestrians are often involved as casualties of car accidents. To be exact, in 2021, one in six people who died in car accidents were pedestrians. It is critical to watch for any bikers or walkers on the side of the roads or in crosswalks to protect yourself and them. Furthermore, in neighborhoods or school zones, there can be little children running around or playing in the street. Go slow and scan the streets, yards, and sidewalks for any kids that could interfere with traffic. Finally, many animals, such as deer, are more active at dusk and dawn and accidents involving animals may not only be fatal to the animal but also to drivers and passengers involved.

Thankfully, none of my family members have been in any fatal car accidents. None of my family members or I have been in accidents due to distracted driving, only ones due to bad weather or tight parking lots. However, before I could drive I would often get rides to work from coworkers who lived near me. I remember one in particular spent the entire drive on Snapchat. Needless to say, I felt uncomfortable, and looking back I wish I had spoken up, but it is difficult to stand up to older drivers. Now, I hope to set a good example to the younger kids I drive around and never put them in that situation. Additionally, as I’ve gotten older I’ve begun to offer to answer my parents’ texts while they are driving so they can stay focused on the road and still send any important messages. My family spends a lot of time driving to and from Toledo, Cincinnati, and Louisville– where we live and have family– and as a result, we see a lot of distracted drivers on highways. My parents recognize these dangers and work together to take turns driving to allow my dad to work on the go during these road trips. From people drifting in and out of lanes to people on their phones to actual accidents, it makes the realities of distracted driving very obvious and prevalent in my life.

As a relatively new driver, it is important to me that I stay as safe as possible. My parents rely on me to drive my siblings and I never want to put anyone’s life in danger. I also have very responsible friends and we all work together to keep each other accountable and stay safe. If one friend is driving, the passenger in the other front seat will control the music and send any necessary texts on behalf of the driver. There are many other ways drivers can stay safe and be better drivers such as putting their phone on drive mode or simply putting it on do not disturb and in an unreachable or difficult-to-reach location. Also, if the car has the ability, drivers should use CarPlay or steering wheel buttons to answer phone calls. However, CarPlay should not be heavily utilized while driving as it still pulls the drivers’ eyes off the road and to a screen.

Driver’s education creates the basis for a good driver. It takes new drivers that are still uncomfortable on the road and helps them become more confident and responsible. Driver’s education often emphasizes defensive driving which reminds the students to look for other vehicles and think ahead to avoid collisions. One of my driver’s ed instructors advised me to always hold my position and now I remember that when I start to panic in difficult situations like sudden lane changes or when in close proximity to large semi-trucks. Overall, driver’s education instills good habits in young drivers and can contribute to increased safety and decreased deaths related to driving.