The Importance of Driver Education

This essay will explain the importance of driver education. First off, I think it is extremely important to wear a seat belt. It isn’t talked about enough, and even though we cannot control the way other people drive, we can protect ourselves and others by simply putting on the seat belt. Seat belts are designed to saved lives from collisions. Although, many people think it’s okay to not wear a seat belt, because, “it’ll never happen to them,” wrecks can happen to anyone, especially when you least expect it. Studies have shown that 47% of passenger vehicle occupants killed every year in car crashes were not wearing seat belts. It’s important to be smart and buckle up anytime you get in a vehicle. So many lives can be saved if we all just wear our seat belts.

I feel that every person who plans on getting a driver’s license should be extremely educated before taking the driving test. So many people cheat their way through Driver’s Ed or don’t pay attention and somehow still pass their driving test. I believe the driving test given to most Driver’s Ed students isn’t hard enough, speaking from experience. When I was taking my driver’s test, my driving instructor told me to drive through a neighborhood and make a few turns, then park at a gas station and make my way five minutes back to the school. Now that I have been driving for almost two years, I realized that test was not logical at all. I never got any experience driving on the interstate or over a bridge or through heavy traffic until I was on my own. I think the test should be redesigned to make the scene more realistic. Driving down a one-way street is not realistic. We should extend the time needed for in-school education as well as the time spent driving. In my opinion, eight hours of practice is not helpful driving on busy roads. Most of the time, when you drive the eight hours for practice with your permit, the weather is on your side. What about the experience driving in the rain or through snow? What about the experience driving through heavy wind or hail? So many accidents are caused by unexperienced drivers losing control in unfavorable weather, because they simply don’t know how to do it. It is rarely talked about in Driver’s Ed. I remember when my instructor was going over different weather conditions in class and he briefly explained each one. He skimmed over the information so fast we were learning the next thing within five minutes. It is extremely dangerous to allow someone with so little experience driving to drive in unfamiliar places and weather. We need to take the time to teach the material and let the students practice it before handing them a plastic card that gives them a right to the highway at anytime, anyplace, and any weather.

I know this is brought up a lot, but I cannot stress enough to not drive under the influence. Whether you’re drunk or high or anywhere in between, don’t do it. In this year alone there have been over 3,000 drunk driving fatalities in Louisiana. By driving under the influence, you are not only putting yourself in danger, but everyone else on the road. I can’t count how many people I grew up with who have died from drunk driving accidents. It is such a common occurrence that I’m scared to drive sometimes. It needs to stop. If you know you or anyone around you is unfit to drive, take their keys from them and don’t let them get behind the wheel.

A few years ago, I lost my friend, Cole, in a car accident. Him and his friends were racing down a windy road and Cole lost control of the car, hitting three telephone poles head on. He was killed on impact. It was such a tragic loss for so many people. This brings me to my next point. Don’t drive stupid. It’s simple. Just don’t do it. Many people think they have control of the vehicle and want to have fun but one wrong move and that could mean the end of you or someone else’s life. We need to be smarter when driving and obey traffic laws. There’s a time and a place to have fun and joke around, but when you’re behind the wheel is not the time. Yes, having a license means freedom to many people, especially teens, but just because you have the freedom to drive doesn’t mean you have the freedom to drive dangerously. Being able to drive is a right, not a privilege. If you can’t be safe then that right needs to be taken away. Dangerous driving also includes being on your phone while operating a vehicle. Statistics show that 400 people die every year in the United States from texting and driving. That phone call or text couldn’t wait 10 minutes for you to get where you were going? Do yourself and everyone around you a favor and put the phone down while you’re driving, and if it’s that urgent, pull over.

Some steps that I can take to become a better and safer driver is that I can pay more attention to my surroundings. I’m very guilty of zoning out while driving or even just not paying close enough attention. I’m working on how I can be safer to myself and others while I’m driving. I can also put both my hands on the steering wheel while I drive. I know many people like to drive with one hand, me myself included, but that can be very unstable and can lead to accidents.

In conclusion, it is extremely important to focus on driving safely and being educated about road safety. It can save peoples’ lives. The little things matter. Wear your seat belt.