Driver Education Saves Lives!

Driver Education is necessary in reducing the number of deaths from driving because it gives background information on many topics. For example, it shows how a car works, how to maintain it, the traffic laws for whatever state you live in, and driving techniques. It also explains the effects that drugs and alcohol have on our bodies when driving. Having this knowledge will allow us to be safe and prepared for any situation.

When it comes to teen drivers, parents could be more strict with their driving. Some ways of being strict are setting a curfew and having a set of rules like no music or passengers allowed for a certain amount of time. Parents should be with their children for a certain amount of time to ensure their teenagers are being safe and exposed to different road conditions. If the teenager does not follow the rules then their driving privileges are removed so they learn that their mistakes have consequences. Being a teenager myself, it would be helpful if parents were to watch their tone and body language because when my mother was nervous, I would pick that up and it made me anxious as well. Make sure the teenager trusts you so they can talk to you about anything that happened. When a mistake occurs, it is better when parents wait until there is a safe space where they could talk, such as at a red light, because when driving the teenager may not be paying attention.

As someone who took an online driver education class, it should be more engaging and creative. Since Driver Ed is so important to reducing the number of deaths, making this change can save lives because that ensures the student is receiving and understanding the information being taught to them rather than becoming bored. Some suggestions are rewarding the student when they get the right answer or pass a test. If there is a class, students could answer questions and give their thoughts about what is being taught to them. When having discussions about different topics students can retain the information. If the class is online, there could be a game to help them remember the content or a video with discussion spaces in the middle. All of these examples allow students to have an interactive experience and remember something that could save their lives.

I am so lucky to have good drivers in my family as my example and to have never been in a car accident but, I have witnessed many accidents. It is scary because, in a blink of an eye, so much can change. There was this one accident that stuck with me to this day. My family and I stopped in a rest house, on our trip back home from Florida. When walking back to the car, we forgot an item inside so, we went back to get it. When stepping out once more, we witnessed a huge accident. An SUV pushed a smaller car under a trailer truck. Out of nowhere, police and ambulances were all over the place, rescuing the driver stuck in the car under the trailer truck. It was the first time I had seen something like that with my own eyes. The scariest part was that had we not forgotten that item, we would have been involved in that accident.

Since I am a senior in high school, I need to make time to check the car. Such are doing a maintenance check, checking how much gas is in the car, does something seem off when driving. These are all things that I need to make time to pick up on otherwise the car could be malfunctioning and I would not know it. I will have a to-do list that will remind me of what I need to do. I have to communicate with my mother when it comes to the maintenance check since she is the adult and I depend on her. Senior year has been exhausting so before driving I must be in a good place mentally, like making sure I am fully awake, before driving. If I am not in the mood for driving, or I have been zoning off when waking up then I should either call a friend, a taxi, or take public transportation. These are all things that I think about before driving because I know that my life and someone else’s life are on the line if something happens.