Driver’s Education: Everything You Need to be a Safe Driver

A red light means stop; a green light, go. These simple instructions are often considered a basic necessity in a driver’s education. Yet, there is much more that a driver must learn and understand before they hit the road. Basic understanding of the road is only one side of the education; caution is the other. Some may think that driver’s education for reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving is picayune. Driver’s education accomplishes an important goal: teaching people road safety. Without driver’s education, the roadways would be in shambles. People could be seen disobeying road signs or being unaware of vehicles around them or not knowing basic right aways. These unsafe habits could lead to deaths increasing as a result of driving. Fortunately, we have a tool that we can use to educate ourselves…driver’s education. Drivers, young or old, can be affected greatly by this key asset to driving. To use driver’s education tactics while on the road, drivers are benefited by having safe travels. If people did not have this available to them the repercussions would be vast. Many people could get harmed in this process and some may ultimately die from the neglect of learning the rudiments of road safety through driver’s education. Limit distractions, be aware of surroundings, obey road signs, and follow basic rules of the road—these are many steps that can be taken to reduce deaths caused by driving. By just employing these simple precautions, car accidents and deaths are reduced substantially. Limiting distractions within the vehicle whether it be phones and radios, food and drinks our focus while driving increases. With our focus increasing on the roadways, we can react faster to changing stimuli. The awareness of our surroundings is beneficial to drivers as it keeps people in or out of their vehicles safe. Signals that assist people to get to their destinations as safely as possible, road signs and pavement markings, are necessary to control traffic. Unfortunately, there are still automotive accidents on the road despite safety precautions that are in place. I have personally been affected by a feckless driver. Recently, one of my close friends was in a collision with a reckless driver. She was on a rural gravel road and was coming up on an intersection. This intersection was a two-way stop. She had the right away since she was in the cross-traffic. Little did she know that the driver who was supposed to stop would not do as instructed by the signs. The resulting accident led to her car getting completely totaled and sustaining serious injuries. Since the other driver was careless and since there were appropriate road markings and signs, he was found at fault for the accident. Steps that I can take to be a better, safer, and more responsible driver are ones that I can teach to friends and family. The most important would be making sure all passengers are secured in the vehicle and everyone is wearing a seatbelt before pulling out of the parking lot or driveway. I would also adjust the radio, seat and steering wheel height, and air conditioning or heat before leaving, thus limiting the amount of distraction, so I can focus more on the route ahead of me. Driver’s education teaches this through its courses and has benefited many people on and off the road. Driving responsibly means you are driving safe for yourself, safe for your passengers, safe for other drivers, and safe for pedestrians.