2020 Drivers Education Essay Contest

When I was little, I always dreamed of being a NASCAR driver or someone who would work with cars for a living. Naturally when I turned 15 and half, I begged my parents to let me get my learners permit so that I could drive on the road legally. The test to obtain the learners permit was simple and straightforward for me, when parking on a hill you turn your tires away from the curb, make sure to have your lights on at night, and 4-way stops were first come first served except for when two people at the same time approached the intersection, in that case the person to the extreme right has the right of way. All of these laws seemed like common sense to me but as soon as I became a driver on public roads, it seemed like people took these laws as suggestions and followed them rather loosely. Every day you hear on the news of a fatal car accident, a bike hit on the side of the road, or a pedestrian fatality due to reckless driving. All of these unnecessary occurrences don’t have to happen as long as everyone uses common sense and follows the traffic laws while driving.

The Traffic Code is enforced to ensure the safety and efficiency when drivers are commuting from point a to point b. Driver education is essential in ensuring the safety of not only themselves but also everyone else on the road. My mom once told me “I am not worried about you getting into an accident, I am worried someone else will get into an accident with you.” This phrase runs through my head every time I am driving. Knowing the traffic code will help to make sure accidents won’t happen but the next step in being a safe driver is actually following the Traffic Code. Following the Traffic Code will help reduce the number of deaths whether it is calling a cab when under the influence or taking time to confirm you are in the in the right state of mind to drive. You can also make sure to be a defensive driver, this means you are “driving to save lives, time, and money.” Being a defensive driver has many benefits, you will save money on gas, tires, breaks, and other maintenance that you will need to maintain your car. In addition, you will also save time by avoiding creating a hostile environment which will slow down traffic for not only you but everyone else on the road. Lastly you will save lives by staying aware of your surroundings and using common sense and reasonable judgement while driving.

Since I got my learners permit at the age of 15 and a half, I have not gotten into any serious trouble with the law. I drove myself to school every day and went to all of my sports practices while practicing safe and defensive driving. Just because I am safe driver, this doesn’t mean I haven’t seen other irresponsible drivers on the road. Last summer I was driving with some friends to get dinner and we were making a left turn, out of nowhere someone driving at 45 mph hit the car in fount of me which resulted in a serious car accident. Both cars were totaled, and the ambulance and fire trucks came to scene immediately. Luckily everyone was okay, but it did give me some time to reflect on how dangerous driving can be. After the investigation it was found that the person who was driving and hit the car in front of me was on the phone and didn’t even have insurance. This was a horrible misjustice for the person involved in the accident because this meant they had to pay for everything out of pocket, I felt horrible and for them and wanted to make sure that I never put someone in that same predicament. Some steps that I personally take to be a safe driver is to never drive when I am angry or upset about something, I practice safe and defensive driving, when in the car with someone else I try not to be a distraction to them, the list goes on. The bottom line is, I want to urge the audience to stay safe and use common sense to ensure you are being a safe driver anytime you are behind the wheel.