Your Car Is A Weapon

Driver education can be a big factor into how many accidents a new student driver gets into. Taking a driver education course allows the student driver to gain insightful knowledge of the traffic rules, weather conditions in their area, and tips on how to manage driving in traffic with a good instructor. Plus, they also get hands on learning with an instructor who can guide them through the process of taking control of the car behind the wheel. Having hours of experience with a professional makes the student driver more capable on the road especially after they get their license as they are more confident driving around the area. Therefore, a student who takes a drivers education course is less likely to get into a car accident early on than a new driver who hasn’t taken a driver education class because they have more experience. By reducing the likelihood of car accidents, this also reduces the amount of deaths by car. Having more experience behind the wheel with a trained professional can save not only the person’s life but also the lives of others.

As I noted earlier, driver education is vital to reducing the number of deaths by car each year because they get a professional education in learning how to drive. Additionally, another big way to reduce deaths is by raising awareness and education specifically to defensive driving tactics. These tactics are a way to prevent and avoid accidents from occurring. A person applying defensive driving tactics observes the actions of other drivers, anticipates a dangerous situation that might occur, then takes actions to prevent the accident. For example, a person at a light that suddenly turns green but sees to their left that a car is speeding and is not slowing down. They decide to wait for the car to take the red light and then drives forward. By not only obeying traffic rules but also applying defensive driving strategies, the roads can be safer for others and less fatal accidents will occur.

Anyone can be guilty of driving irresponsibly. My dad did when he was driving my sisters and I back to Arizona after our trip to California. We had stayed up late the night before hanging out with friends. The following morning, we woke up early to head back to Arizona. My dad was a little tired, but we said he could manage to stay awake driving 5 hours back home since he had coffee. As hours passed by, my dad became more and more sleepy and drowsy. My sisters and I tried to keep him awake but we were also exhausted. Eventually, my dad began to fall in and out of sleep. The car started to veer in the other lane and with that sudden motion everyone woke up. We were all startled, so my father decided to pull over and take a nap in the car. This experience really scared me because, at this time, I was learning how to drive. I realized at this moment that the passengers in a car have put their life in the driver’s hands every time they get into a car and that eventually my sisters would be putting their lives in my hands every time I drive them around to school, to the movies, and to California (since we visit a lot to see our family). This is when I really grasped the big responsibility a person has when they are behind the wheel. I am not upset at my dad for his mistake. No one is perfect. The reality is that my family could have gotten into a bad car accident that day if my dad did not react on time and many of us could have been seriously injured. Fortunately, it did not go that way and we all learned to have a good night’s rest especially before going on a long road trip.

As previously mentioned, I am a new driver. This experience with my dad taught me valuable lessons when it comes to being a safer driver and I plan to use my knowledge when I am on the road. As a new driver, I will continuously be aware of my surroundings by surveying the movements of other drivers and pedestrians. I can also pay more attention to the speed limit and follow it more often instead of worrying about how other drivers might react to my slower pace. Since I like to listen to music when I am driving, it is safer to have my sisters, who are in the car with me, to take my phone away and be in charge of the music (even though their taste in music is questionable at times). Although, I have learned how to become a safer driver, it won’t matter if others do not apply these safe driving skills on the street. That is why I have made it my mission to teach all of my young friends and acquaintances who are planning to drive in the future about the real dangers that come with driving. I will also tell them stories of young people who have gotten seriously injured or maybe have gotten permanent physical damage due to their mistakes of texting while driving, speeding, driving while impaired, or reckless driving. By doing this, these young minds can really grasp the real dangers of these actions and become safer drivers on the road when the time comes. Because in the end, a car is a weapon. It has the ultimate ability of being able to kill a human being.