The Impact of Driver’s Ed

The Impact of Driver’s Ed

Driving is an important milestone in a young person’s life. We go from being the passenger to the driver. As the passenger, we could be distracted, on our phones, playing around with the radio, staring out the window, etc. The driver can do none of those. We must be focused entirely on the road in front of us and the cars around us because without doing so we can cause fatal accidents.

Driver’s Education is a major factor in reducing the number of fatal accidents while driving. The reason for this is because when we attend Driver’s Education classes we are exposed to the rules and the dangers involved in driving. We come to realize that driving is not easy nor is it something to be taken lightly. We are required to be completely focused while behind the wheel of a vehicle. Before taking these classes, we were unaware of the aforementioned, after the classes we begin to look at driving as something important that we should take seriously.

Even with Driver’s Education classes, the number of fatal accidents involving driving is extremely high. People still drink and drive, text while driving, drive while sleep-deprived, refrain from wearing a seatbelt and so much more even after we were warned and taught that most of these are illegal and can lead to fatal accidents. To reduce the number of deaths related to driving we should take driving more seriously and be aware of whether we are physically capable of driving safely before getting behind the wheel.

Personally, I’m at the age where all my friends are beginning to drive. While the majority of my friends fully pay attention and follow all of the laws a few of them do not. Those who do not fully follow the rules often post pictures of themselves while actively driving and respond to text messages and phone calls. In the state of North Carolina texting and driving is illegal and drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited to use a cellphone in any way unless calling their parents or emergency personnel. I personally find them doing this extremely irresponsible and reckless as well as illegal.

To be a better and safer driver I would need to review my state laws to familiarize myself with them. I would also have to give my undivided attention to driving each time I am behind the wheel. Talking to my friends about the laws in our state can help us all remember what we were taught in Driver’s Ed. I could also remind them that using their phones while driving is not permitted as well as extremely dangerous not just to themselves but to their passengers and the drivers around them.

To summarize, having the ability to drive is a gift that we should not take lightly. Having the ability to attend Driver’s Education enhances our ability to comprehend the road laws and react to stressful situations on the road. As a person at the beginning of their driving journey, I can confidently say that taking driver education has prepared me to conquer the road safely.