Name: Tatiana Braddy-Gadsden
From: Annadale, VA
Votes: 0
One
of the requirements each student must satisfy prior to graduating
from high school is completing drivers ed during their
sophomore year. There were countless complaints from my peers,
making claims that the course was necessary many deemed it simply as
a waste of time. The consensus of those objecting to enrolling
in the course was that driving is just “common sense” but is it
really though? In my opinion a large number of car accidents are
caused by miss interpretation, speeding, drunk driving, texting while
driving, and road rage. I believe the statistics surrounding
the number and cause of accidents will prove that safe driving
involves more than just common sense. When we get behind the
wheel, it is our responsibility to also consider the safety of
passengers, other drives and pedestrians as well. I believe that all
new drivers should be required to take drivers ed courses and
pass an assessment prior to siting for their drivers permit and
getting behind the wheel. The lessons learned in a driver’s
education are lifesaving, they provide drivers with the education and
training designed to produce safer drivers who are less likely to be
involved in car accidents. I believe one of the steps that can
be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving
would be to advertise commercials that speak to safe driving skills,
this would reach a global audience and possibly prevent an accident
from occurring before the driver gets behind the wheel.
Additionally, I believe that any driver involved in an accident
rather they are at fault or the other party, these drives should be
required to take a refresher drivers ed course as well as a
defensive driving course. I feel that this may help to
reiterate positive driving habits, and ultimately demonstrate that
reckless driving can cause the driver and also other motorist or
pedestrians their lives.
I
am thankful that I haven’t been in any severe car accidents, but I
do remember being younger and getting into a car accident with my
mom. I was sitting in the passenger seat and my mom was driving on a
two-way street and someone who was trying to make a left turn
into oncoming traffic just ran straight into the passenger side of
the car where I was sitting. In questioning the driver causing
the accident, he advised that he simply “wasn’t familiar with the
area and couldn’t see well above the wheel when he made the turn.
In this case had he taken a drivers ed course, he would
have had instruction on adjusting the steering wheel, seats and
mirrors to ensure visibility.
I
am now a license driver, and just like many other first-time drivers’
I found myself very nervous and anxious my first several time
driving. The thought of getting into an accident scared me so much
that it took some time before I felt comfortable driving alone,
initially there were times when my parents followed me to and from my
destination to ensure that I was safe and comfortable operating the
vehicle. Completing drivers ed did aid me ensuring
that I was exercising proper road safety and during the course I
was even instructed on how change a tire, should I find myself in a
situation with a flat tire. Most importantly the discussions
with officers that articulated their experiences with drivers who did
not exercise good safe driving practices, encourages me every time I
enter a vehicle as a driver or passenger to exercise and encourage
those with me to demonstrate driving safety. I will continue to keep
showing my safe driving skills on and off the road. The steps
and precautions that I can take to make sure that I am safe and to
help others make smart decisions while driving, would be to stress
the importance of safety, amount drivers in my age group, the number
one advice would be to avoid texting and driving, driving under the
influence, do not get into a vehicle with a driver who is under the
influence and absolutely no drag racing.
