Please learn how to drive – Jasmine

I learned how to drive recently and I received my license about 10 months ago. During my time driving, I have learned and seen 3 things on the road that I never realized when I was simply in the passenger’s seat.

Number 1: People do not follow road laws

The amount of times I have seen a car run a red light and speed is too many to count. I have even seen someone drive directly towards me on the wrong side of the road, which was kind of crazy… The harsh brakes and swerves that I have done to avoid reckless drivers not only places me in a more risky position, but also the other cars around me.

A large part of this has to do with the lack of knowledge about traffic laws that drivers have. It is either this, or a lack of care because many of these laws are weakly enforced.

Since several traffic rules are rarely enforced, drivers are comfortable with reckless driving due to the fact that they know they will not be punished or be held accountable for. Drivers do not realize the impact reckless driving can have on pedestrians and other drivers.

Number 2: Driving is more dangerous than it seems

As mentioned earlier, many people do not understand that driving is dangerous and the importance of safe driving. Being in the driver’s seat means that I have responsibility for myself and those in the car with me. I have to make sure that I am also driving safely to ensure that the other people around me will be safe as well.

While many people do not realize it, speeding is much more dangerous than it seems. Speeding is very common and basically normalized. While researching, I found out from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that almost ⅓ of all fatal car accidents involve a speeding driver. And in 2022, this total number of deaths were over 12,000 in the United States. Alongside this, 32% of drivers of fatal crashes in 2021 did not have a valid driver’s license.

This shows how little care and effort that drivers make when driving.

And finally, Number 3: Never trust other drivers

This rule was one of the first things taught to me when I learned my permit. And I understand why every single day. It is impossible to predict what other drivers will do. You can not rely on other drivers to follow road laws and you have to pay attention at all times if you want to drive safely

A good example of this is the high correlation between alcohol consumption and speeding when driving. Research has found that there are a larger number of speeding accidents where the driver had blood alcohol concentrations of .08 g/dL or greater. It is impossible to trust other drivers.

So what can we do about it?

There are a couple things that I believe would help with educating drivers. My main beliefs are pushing for stricter tests, a larger emphasis on education, and a larger/easier accessibility to this education.

The driving test, for me, was surprisingly easy. I would not call myself an amazing driver, but I was able to pass the test with very little mistakes. The ease of obtaining a license is one of the reasons why there are so many drivers that really should not be driving.

Another part of this ease of obtaining a license also has to do with the permit test. As a minor, you must complete a driver’s education course to obtain a learners permit. An adult only needs to take a test without the educational course.

I am currently under 18, and the education that I went through was a large part of my driving journey. The class made me realize and learn many of the rules and laws in driving. This course took a very long time but I believe that it helped me prepare myself for the road. When I was talking to some of the adults around me, I realized that they did not even know some of the laws of the road because she got her license as an adult.

And one of the largest reasons why I believe that there is reckless driving is due to the accessibility of education. The costs of courses, lessons, tests, and the license can easily build up to hundreds to even thousands of dollars. Many people can not afford these costs and would rather obtain their license without proper education, or not obtaining their license at all. This is why data has shown that there are many drivers out there without valid driver’s licenses, who are also driving recklessly.

This isn’t to say that I am the best driver in the world either. But I believe that the education that I was able to receive for driving has impacted my safety for the better. Driving is an important part of people’s daily lives and should not be taken lightly. I only wish that other drivers can be educated. So if it is at all possible, please learn how to drive.