Name: Alea Miller
From: Freeman, South dakota
Votes: 38
Learning to drive is more than just mastering the art of steering, braking, and accelerating; driving also involves the skills to communicate with others on the road silently. Using turn signals, hand gestures, and following traffic lights are all forms of silent communication that prevent miscommunication, which can lead to collisions and fatalities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. This grim statistic emphasizes the importance to learn properly and practicing good driving habits to protect ourselves and others we share the road with.
Driver education classes are designed to teach students to remain alert, anticipate hazards, and effectively respond in dangerous, unpredictable situations. These courses equip students to manage themselves under stress, whether in severe weather, heavy traffic, or unexpected obstacles such as deer. Learning the meaning of traffic signs and signals is vital in navigating the road. Evidence supports the effectiveness of driver education. A National Safety Council study that involved over 30,000 drivers from Massachusetts found that after participating in the NSC Online Driver, traffic violations dropped at a remarkable rate. However, education isn’t enough. Stronger laws, stricter enforcement, and special technology are vital to reduce the number of deaths caused by driving.
The leading cause of road accidents is speeding. Stricter enforcement of speed limits and higher penalties can discourage drivers from speeding. Implementing strict DUI laws, conducting frequent sobriety checkpoints, and mandating alcohol screening devices for multi-convicted drunk drivers are ways to discourage drivers from engaging in harmful habits. When you aren’t fully aware of what’s going on around you, you put not just yourself but others at risk. Distracted driving, particularly due to cell phones, is another growing threat. Even a distraction from a cell phone notification can cost you your life. Awareness campaigns and laws that penalize phone use can help combat this growing problem.
Seat belts are an easy yet lifesaving measure one can take. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45% for front-seat passengers. The encouragement of seat belt use through both education and enforcement can prevent numerous fatalities.
The importance of safe driving is something deeply personal to me because it has affected my community heavily. Around two years ago, a seventeen-year-old girl from my community crashed into a ditch and died shortly before Christmas. The accident happened on a road I had frequently visited. In fact, I drove on that very road the same day the accident happened, and although I did not know her personally, her death hit our community hard. She was not wearing a seatbelt, and I can only pray that she died a quick, relatively painless death. Regardless, someone so young and with such a bright future lost her life because of a preventable mistake. Her story serves as a tragic reminder about the importance of following rules; they’re there for a reason. Another incident involving a young adult heavily affected my parents, who are still grappling with the trauma decades later.
A few decades ago, far before I was born, my parents got into a car accident on their way home from getting groceries. A young driver ignored a stop sign and blazed straight ahead, crashing into my parents’ vehicle, totaling their truck, and severely injuring my mother. Thankfully, no one died, but my mom left that wreck with a broken neck and a long recovery ahead of her. The recovery was brutal; she couldn’t turn her neck at all and needed my dad’s help for even the simplest of tasks. Thankfully, she has fully recovered, but it was a very close call, and it has left a lasting mark on my family. My parents still flinch every time they see someone driving towards the stop sign on that road. These experiences have taught me that reckless driving affects everyone, the family, the community, and even generations.
Living in a small rural community where traffic is scarce can create a false sense of security. People often break “minor” rules for fun, not realizing the consequences until disaster strikes. Spreading awareness on these tragic tales is all we can do to create safer roads, aside from doing our part to follow the rules. Follow the rules, wear a seat belt, pay attention to the road, and don’t drink and drive! Changes start within ourselves; we are the only ones in control of our actions and lives. Thro
Driver Education isn’t just about passing a test; it is about saving lives. By teaching young drivers how to properly communicate, anticipate danger, and spread awareness, we reduce the risk of dangerous crashes. I have seen the effects of reckless driving, and it serves as a constant reminder to be a safer driver. Let us do our part in keeping our children, friends, and family safe and change this statistic!
