Driver Education Initiative Award: In the Driver’s Seat

Imagine this, You, your spouse, and your newborn baby in the back seat are on the way home. You are at a green light about to make a left turn. You are waiting for the cars to pass so you can turn. But the light starts to turn yellow. Now you must make the turn before you get caught in the middle of the street at a red light. But some reckless driver is also trying to make the yellow light going straight. This person speeds up and T-bones you and your family, your car starts to tilt and balance on its two left side wheels but manages to land back on all four wheels. Now you are forever grateful that you and your family are okay and make it out that experience safely. Well, I will let you know that that newborn baby is me. Obviously since I was a newborn, I do not remember it happening, but it was a story I will not forget.

When it was time for me to learn how to drive my parents told me this story. They wanted to warn me to take learning and driving seriously. I got my license when I was seventeen. I am eighteen turning nineteen in August and I am still cautious on the road, I do not think I will ever not be. It is important to practice defensive driving because that is how you keep your friends and family safe. My parents always told me “You’re not driving for you self, but you are driving for others on the road as well” this is a quote I drive by.

I have also experienced irresponsible driving with some old friends as well. I have never been the one driving, but I have been in a car where two of my friends have been pulled over for speeding. One of my friends was going 85 mph where the speed limit was 45mph and another was going 56 mph where the speed limit was 30mph. Both dangerous so I am incredibly grateful that we all were safe in the end. But I cannot deny that driving like this is very irresponsible. Lots of car accidents happen because of speeding. Based on the way these friends were driving I had to make tough decisions like not riding in that car if they were the one driving just to protect my safety.

This is why it is important and mandatory for teens and even adults to take drivers education classes. People need to understand why the New York State DMV will not allow you to take their driving test without taking the 5-hour defensive driving course. When teaching someone how to drive you are not just teaching them how to. You also need to be teaching them the rules and regulations of the road, along with the mannerisms of the road as well. Drivers’ education can help teach you this information. Instead of learning it from parent or guardian because they themselves might not remember everything from when they first learned. Who is to say that they are driving correct and responsible themselves. It is most beneficial for people who want to take their driving test to take drivers education because of the 5-hour defensive driving class that is required for the driving test. Most places provide it to you with your course package. It is much easier than learning to drive on your own and finding some random 5-hour class to take. Trivial things such as this can cause a huge decrease in the number of deaths that happen due to car accidents. From my perspective making it mandatory to take drivers’ education courses in order to take your driving test should be the law.

Steps that you and I can take to become a better and safer driver on the road are. Some advice my parents had told me is every 3 years if you retake your defensive driving course you can get and maintain 10% off your car insurance. After you get your license, taking this course every 3 years can help refresh your skills on safe driving. And once you are done with the class submit your course certificate to your car insurance.

To conclude this essay, my goal was for the readers to have a good understanding as to why driving can be dangerous. And that it is important to practice defensive driving because driving can be the cause between life and death.