Driver’s Ed Essay: From Learner’s Permit To Lifelong Responsibility

The quality of our nation’s driver education programs is crucial in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving. One of the root causes of carelessness or ignorance on the road is traced back to their instructor. It doesn’t matter if it’s the student’s family or the high school driver’s ed teacher. They are failing their students in the long run if they’re not teaching them the correct way early. I am fortunate enough to have extremely careful parents and a driver’s ed teacher who made learning driving fun while also emphasizing the importance of careful and proper driving.

There are a vast number of ways to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. The first and most important step is for driving instructors and family members to drill into their students’ heads the importance and practice of safe driving. In the classroom my teacher did an amazing job teaching us by the book and sharing his life experiences as a new driver. Among all of the stories, there is one that sticks out in my mind. I remember he told my class about how he used to deliver pizzas around town and one night he had to cross the train tracks. He saw a train coming in the distance so he sped up to cross. He didn’t realize that there were nine tracks and a train coming from the other direction that was much closer. He was inches away from death. Needless to say, I always look left and right before crossing a railroad. He also taught us the importance of paying attention to and assessing our surroundings because there will be times when you need to act as a defensive driver. It may be as small as dodging debris in the road or as major as staying out of the way of a careless driver. Of course he warned us about drunk driving. He told my class if we ever went to a party that involved drinking, we should throw our keys into a nearby field. We live out in the country so this would be useful for us, but not in the city. In hindsight that’s not the most effective way to prevent drinking and driving, but it’s still convenient. You can also nominate designated driver that will not drink and drives their drunk friends home. New drivers have the highest crash rates. Mostly because newly licensed drivers want to drive their friends around and they are not proficient in all areas of driving. It has always been known that two or more teens in a car is a recipe for trouble in most cases because they want to showboat and they get distracted by their friends showing them pictures on their phones. I often like to bluetooth my phone to my car and play music, but bluetooth can become a dangerous thing because of the convenient hands-free calling feature. Friends are distractions whether they’re in or out of your car.

Last year two young ladies in the grade below me were involved in a one-car accident. The driver was looking at her phone when she glanced up, saw she was drifting to the shoulder, and overcorrected. This resulted in the vehicle flipping on the highway. The passenger was knocked unconscious and both girls were not wearing their seatbelts so they were thrown through the windshield. They experienced extensive injuries that may affect them for the rest of their lives. The passenger had a promising future of competitive weightlifting which was ruined. The driver is an avid rodeo enjoyer and loves riding horses, which she cannot do now because of her back injury. They have trouble performing everyday tasks that the average person does easily. I witnessed first hand their stories and the recovery process.

I often find that I am a better and safer driver when a parent is in my car. They are my extra set of eyes in case I miss something like a car weaving in and out of traffic behind me or spotting someone who looks like they are about to sprint across the road. Our phones are a major source of distractions while driving. Mine is always on silent and in my purse while driving. I always encourage my friends to do the same. When I took my driver’s ed class, my teacher put our phones in the trunk so there was no temptation. To adults who were taught incorrect driving practices, it is never too late to fix them. Spreading awareness of the dangers of driving is crucial to not just new drivers, but experienced drivers who may have been taught incorrectly. I think it is very interesting that there is one driving test that we take as teenagers and then it’s free range to do what we want. I think it would be beneficial to take more than one driving test throughout our lives to maintain proper driving skills.

The responsibility of safe driving doesn’t end when we pass the driving test. It’s a lifelong commitment. Instructors, parents, and experienced drivers all play a role in shaping how new drivers approach the road. From learning to assess our surroundings to understanding the dangers of distractions, every lesson can be the difference between life and death. I’ve seen firsthand the devastating consequences of careless driving, but I’ve also been fortunate to have mentors who instilled good habits in me early on. As drivers, we owe it to ourselves and others to stay vigilant, correct bad habits, and prioritize safety over convenience. If we truly want to reduce driving-related deaths, it starts with education, awareness, and the willingness to change.