Peruse Before You Cruise

Peruse Before You Cruise

Everyone knows someone who has been in a car accident. And if you do not know someone–you likely are that someone. While many accidents are a result of unforeseen situations, like a deer running out into the road, or another driver suddenly barreling towards you, so many car crashes are preventable, given that you are educated on the rules of the road.

In a perfect world, streets would be totally clear for you to drive on with no obstructions, no aggressive drivers, ice slicks, or fallen objects to cause you to err. But driver education does not aim to prepare you to navigate utopian roads; there are different protocols to follow in emergency situations. Besides that, motorists who are educated in even what seem like basic or obvious principles to seasoned drivers are much more prepared to react and prevent crashes and fatalities.

I did not appreciate the thought and care that went into every push of the pedal and every turn of the wheel until I started to learn to drive myself. Actually, had I not read my driver’s manual thoroughly, I would not have realized something as simple as yellow lines indicating two-way traffic and white lines indicating one-way. I cannot imagine myself from a year ago getting into a car and not causing some sort of crash. My confidence as a driver has its foundation in my studies, in making sure my mind grasped how to operate a car properly and safely. Being educated through the driver’s manual, practice tests with tips, and my father and sister giving me road advice for maneuvers and situations both big and small has drilled imperative concepts into me. It is much safer to first learn from a book to leave room for wide trucks to turn than it is to learn it by being hit by a truck on the road because you were not educated enough to make the right move. Driver education can and does literally save lives.

An educated driver is also well aware that alcohol and driving are a dangerous and often fatal mix. While it may seem straightforward, someone who has not had proper driver education may not know that it takes the body about an hour to process just one drink. Alcohol interferes with how your brain and reflexes are functioning, which is the last thing you need when operating a large, heavy, and fast metal machine. Not only are you putting yourself at risk, but you are also risking crashing into another driver or even a pedestrian. Being aware of how alcohol affects the body and the way you drive and reading up on drunk driving statistics is so important in keeping yourself and others safe.

I have heard of–or even knew personally–people who have gotten into fatal crashes by colliding with a wall or another car in front of them. People have died from crashing into walls ahead of them on the road because they did not realize that there was an upcoming turn. Being learned in the subject of driving gives you the foresight to know that a) You should always try your best to be aware of your surroundings in all directions while driving, b) Signs and guidelines will almost always warn you of sudden turns, and c) You should always give yourself a space cushion and be prepared to slow down or stop if need be.

In the case of preventing rear-end crashes with other drivers, the drivers manual or any driving instructor will tell you that you should always give yourself at least around four seconds of reaction time in relation to other cars on the road. Always keeping that knowledge in mind, you will not have to panic if the car in front of you suddenly breaks; you will have plenty of time and space to alleviate the situation. You and the driver behind you also work together to prevent accidents by keeping an appropriate distance from each other. Why? Because you have both learned that that is a rule of the road!

There are so many nuances to driving that you have to learn about so you do not hurt yourself or others on the road. From being conscious of your speed, when you have the right of way, how to cope with wet or snowy roads, to knowing never to drive sleepy or drunk, to even the most basic rule of stopping completely at a stop sign are all principles that must be present in a driver’s mind in order to perform safely. The knowledge test that must be passed for you to get your drivers permit exists for a reason. Baseline knowledge is required to ensure that one does not drive recklessly or ignorantly. Many lives could be saved and accidents prevented if more motorists took the time to have a thorough drivers education before they get behind the wheel. And even if you have been driving for decades and seem to know the road like the back of your hand, refreshing your knowledge and quizzing yourself never hurts, either.