Carman 2021 Drivers Ed Essay Submission

What is the importance of driver education in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving?

According to a study conducted by the University of Nebraska Lincoln, “young drivers who have not completed driver’s education are… 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident”. While less than 50 percent may seem like a small number alone, this study’s sample pool was 150,000 teen drivers–36,000 participants were involved in fatal or injury accidents. If these 36,000 participants took at least some form of driver’s education class, this large amount of near fatalities would not have occurred, thereby signifying the importance of driver education in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving. Not to mention, these statistics are only shown for young drivers. While the majority of new drivers are adolescents, there is something to be said that a person can become a new driver at any age, adding severity to the previous statistics by adding an even higher amount of people affected.

What steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving?

As stated earlier, driver education is an extremely important variable when attempting to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. There is nothing inherently wrong with driving classes, in fact, they help reduce not only fatalities but also offer an added incentive through reduced car insurance rates. However, the problem arises through the nature of the status quo’s classes. These cost money and time-two of the most important things in life-which people cannot always afford to spend.

There is one key step that can be taken to assuage this problem: third-party providers. In the same article listed by the University of Nebraska, the writer discusses how many of these classes in Nebraska alone are paid in full by The Nebraska Safety Council, which helps give 700 students annually the opportunity for free and needed education. If multiple government and private organizations were to take the same steps the Safety Council has taken to offer free classes with driving opportunities, the problem of time would be addressed.

Another issue for young drivers is time. While there is no surefire way to guarantee and alleviate time for these individuals, by providing incentive to complete a certain amount of driving time, students gain experience needed. A great example of this is through my local DMV in the Henderson-Las Vegas metropolitan. It is a requirement for the specific group responsible for causing the large majority of car accidents (teenagers) to complete 30 hours of driving time in order to be eligible for their driver’s license. Because these teenagers have their permit, they are required to ride with a person over the age of 18 with a valid driver’s license in order to ensure road safety. The implementation of this program nationally would also help to reduce the number of accidents through the requirement of carefully monitored drive time to give young drivers valuable experience, thereby addressing the issue of time as well.

Have you ever had an experience of being in a car accident or have seen your friend or family members driving irresponsibly?

I have never been in a car accident or seen my friends or family driving irresponsibly, however, my mother was involved in a car accident upon impact with a capsized truck which had left her with muscular damage and pain to her back which had required physical therapy for treatment. I have also almost been in two accidents; one of which involved an irresponsible driver speeding on the wrong side of the road on a highway, which caused my father to swerve into a ditch lower than the road. On another occasion, we were waiting at a stoplight in the right far hand side at a 4-way intersection in a large city when a car being chased by police sped through the sidewalk next to our car and swerved out, causing minor damage to our vehicle due to the car hitting sign posts while turning right which had dented our car.

What steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road?

Every individual makes a difference while driving. The perfect example of this is how it only takes one car in a heavy line of traffic to make an impact with another to cause a domino effect of heavy damage. As aforementioned, driver’s classes and experience are necessary and needed to help young drivers assimilate to the hectic and sometimes overwhelming world of driving. I have already attained my permit, completed my 30 hours of driving (5 at night, 25 during the day) and am currently working on taking a 50 hour driving class online in order to become eligible for my license. By following the guidelines and necessary rules set by my local DMV, I feel that I have become an experienced driver and can make the right choices while driving. I would encourage others in my community to take similar courses and study materials, and would also recommend the same steps to people outside my area even if they aren’t a requirement for driving. By taking the courses and steps I have previously taken, I believe those given the same resources will become more experienced and educated, thereby becoming safer drivers.