Name: Azavion I Tyler
From: Milwaukee, WI
Votes: 0
It
Can Be Done
As winter makes an early appearance and snow floats down to rest on
trees still clothed in green, drivers within the city of Milwaukee
are cautiously navigating the city in preparation of the holidays.
While in route, one is often reminded by roadside memorials in
reembrace of victims of vehicular homicide. Currently, the city of
Milwaukee is considered one of the most dangerous cities in America.
From 2014 -18, Milwaukee has averaged 75 vehicle deaths per year. In
2019, to date, there have been 62 deaths resulting from car crashes.
People in the city are in a panic! City officials are working
tirelessly to institute strategies to decrease these casualties.
Some attribute this crisis to unexperienced drivers, road conditions,
and/or carelessness. No matter the cause each reason cited falls
within the parameters of drivers ed.
As a kid growing
up, whenever my mom wanted to give me a spanking, I would always hear
my grandma tell her, “Don’t’ spank him. Teach the behavior that
you want to see”. This is how I feel about drivers ed.
Drivers ed is imperative to reducing driving deaths.
Unfortunately, drivers ed is not as readily available as one
might think. This is especially true for youth in the inner city.
Most high schools no longer offer drivers ed and if a young person
wants to get a license then they have to pursue it on their own.
Many inner-city kids often do not have the means to pay for classes
or the transportation to attend. Since life does go on, youth often
learn only the basics of driving (starting the car, driving straight,
turn right or left) by trial and error or from a relative.
Consequently, they end up being unlicensed drivers on the road
without the basic knowledge of driver and road safety. This includes
but is not limited to stopping distance, speed, weather road
conditions, and traffic signals.
While wrong is
wrong, the city certainly cannot keep doing the same things and
expecting different results. Continually issuing fines and jail
sentences are not the best way to reduce vehicle crashes or deaths.
If we want to see driving related deaths eventually eradicated then
there must be a reinstitution drivers ed offering. To begin,
all school across the state of WI should require drivers ed as
a requirement for all students during their junior year of high
school. Swimming is required to save lives and drivers ed
should be required as well. It will save lives! Schools should be
allowed special funding to hire and/or train teachers for the courses
and to cover the cost of permits. Additionally, the city should have
opportunities for non-licensed adults to also obtain a valid license.
Through state funding the Department of Transportation should offer
free drivers ed courses for adults that do not have any
driving infractions on their record. For those adults that have
driven illegally, they should also be allowed to take the free
courses but with stipulations that they must maintain a clean record
for the first year of driving after they become licensed. Adhering
to these criteria would allow their previous driving record to be
expunged.
In conclusion, I
personally have never been in a car accident but I have family
members that have come within inches of losing their life. My uncle
was hit by a driver that was trying to beat the yellow light.
Gratefully, although he was hospitalized and spent six months in
rehab, he survived and lived to share his story. Drivers ed
may make the difference for the next person.
