The Importance of Drivers ed

As more and more adolescents begin to drive it is important each one receives proper drivers ed. According to the CDC, there are more than 32,000 deaths due to motor vehicle accidents in the US. From this data, we could say this is an entire war between bad drivers and innocent civilians. With drivers ed, students are taught the rights and wrongs about operating motor vehicles which they take into the driver’s seat when driving. By stating the facts and allowing students to view how accidents happen, they can know what signs indicate an accident can occur and avoid it.

Even with proper education and a perfect test score accidents can still happen. This is why it is important to monitor fairly new drivers. Through constant monitoring and check ups on their driving skills, one can make sure they know how to drive safely. In addition to this, if a defensive driving course were required after a regular drivers ed course, new drivers would be able to take their experiences from driving and put themselves in situations where an accident can occur. I believe it is also important for all new drivers to experience a crash first hand and learn how to evacuate their vehicle properly. If this were added to the drivers ed curriculum, students would know the horror and fear people have when in accidents. This would be beneficial to the students by giving them more of a reason to know the signs of an accident and avoid them at all costs.

My personal experience with a car accident is quite humiliating because I was the driver. I was on the freeway driving home from a volunteer event with some other volunteers in my car. I was talking and laughing with them not paying attention to my surroundings. All of a sudden I saw a car stopped in front of me and I immediately slammed on the brakes. With regret in my eyes I saw my car rear end the person in front of me. I was completely lost in a state of panic unsure of what to do next. I then remembered there were other people in my car, unlocked my doors and yelled at everyone to get out. Upon exiting the vehicle I saw the damage I had caused and began to sob helplessly. Here, a great drivers ed student with a perfect driver’s test score caused an accident that was 100% preventable. I know now what my mistake was and luckily I had car insurance.

In a perfect world, there would never be any car accidents; however, nothing is perfect. The best driver I know is my father and he told me in order to be the safest driver around I must know the laws of the streets, know the signs of an accident, and trust no other driver. By watching out for not only oneself, but what others may do then accidents can be avoided completely.