More Than Just Driving

Now that I just turned 17 it’s necessary for me to begin to learn how to drive. Driving will always be an essential part of life and skills. I know that driver’s education will be one of most valuable knowledge I will have. It will give me life saving skills. In my city of Los Angeles, I’ve witnessed firsthand the heartbreaking reality of unsafe driving. It’s common to see drunk drivers, drivers going over the speed limit, and young teens driving without licenses, without a bit of drivers education, and without a sense of responsibility for their actions taking the lives of innocent people. I’ve seen this story get written over again many times, with innocent people hurt, young lives lost, and communities left in anger and shock. That’s why driver’s education should not be optional. Driver’s education will always play a vital role in reducing life-changing accidents and deaths.

When I was younger I thought driving was just pressing the gas and brake and waiting at stop signs and lights. But I was mistaken. Driver’s education teaches essential driving skills far beyond the basics of just pressing the gas pedal and stopping at the stoplight. One of the major benefits of driver education is that it teaches essential driving skills, and these programs help new drivers understand how to properly operate a vehicle. For the best driving skills, it’s necessary to go to a driving school that is well certified and professional. According to an article on Drive well Driving school all the precautions and skills taught through drivers education such as how to change lanes, check your mirrors, being aware of other drivers around you and many more skills lead to better drivers.

The most meaningful way that drivers education benefits the community is by creating safer roads and reducing the emotional toll of accidents. It’s sad to say but every couple of years I have seen at least 1 person killed due to reckless drivers in my community. My community is traumatized and so am I. When I first witnessed an accident happening in real time I froze up. I didn’t know what to do. I saw with my own eyes a car coming full speed to a pedestrian walking across the street, in a school zone. The sound of the tires and the braking had played over in my head for some weeks.In a matter of seconds I had seen an innocent man lose his life when that could have been prevented if the driver was going the speed he was supposed to be going in a school zone. This is just one of the many fatalities I have encountered in my community.

I know why teens like to post themselves on social media driving their cars past the speed limit. It’s always either to impress people or to look cool. Which isn’t cool or safe for the driver and other drivers. Driver’s education has been proven to reduce tickets and crashes. People who are certified driver’s education have fewer tickets and crashes. For example, according to an article, about 53 percent of the teens took a state-approved driver’s education course to qualify for the permit. The remainder qualified by logging 50 hours of practice driving under the supervision of a parent or other adult. During their first year of driving, the group who took driver’s ed had significantly fewer accidents and traffic tickets than the group that logged driving hours without formal driving instruction. Furthermore, those who actually take time to practice driving and have drivers education are more likely to not have traffic tickets or accidents.

So does driver’s education really make a difference? The answer is yes, it makes a difference in our lives, the lives of others and our communities. It provides drivers with the skills, judgement, and responsibility needed to drive on the roads safely. For me, being a responsible driver isn’t just about following the rules, it’s about valuing life. Receiving this scholarship would not only help me continue my education in studying engineering, it would allow me to carry this message forward. Using my voice to advocate for those lives lost due to drivers not having proper drivers education, and it would be protecting those in my community. Mandatory driver education is not just a set of rules, it is an investment in the safety and well being of our community, and protecting innocent lives. Becoming a better driver will lead to great things.