Safe Travels

6^th period Driver’s Education is a class I’ll never forget. At first, I was hesitant about enrolling in this class. I believed it would be useless and only a class bringing down my average (since it wasn’t weighted as an honors or AP). Reflecting on what I knew before and after taking this class, I can easily say I took away more from this than my numerous AP history classes. The material, stories shared, and driving experience are all things that I’ll always remember and retain.

Every Thursday my Driver’s Education teacher would play videos relating to driving standards or hazards. There was one particular Thursday that stood out to me. This video highlighted the various ways single-vehicle accidents happen. I instantly knew that this video related to my uncle’s accident. While the driver in the video hit an object, my uncle’s single vehicle accident happened by running off the road. This moment stuck with me. The horrible videos that my teacher played are not just rare occurrences. My uncle was texting while he was driving which meant he had his eyes off the road. This incident showed me that accidents similar to this can happen to anybody at any time, but with close attention, they can be avoided.

That same Thursday video truly tied everything I had learned together. The number of deaths that occur from driving can be limited if people applied all the things taught in Driver’s Education. When younger students ask me for suggestions regarding extra elective classes to take, my immediate answer is Driver’s Ed. This class is so vital because of its heavy focus on encouraging safe driving practices. Early instillation of these behaviors lowers the likelihood of accidents brought on by carelessness or recklessness by fostering a culture of responsible and thoughtful driving. Developing essential skills goes hand in hand with those safe driving practices. Many beginning drivers step into the car, confidentially thinking they know the proper way to operate the vehicle. When people start driving uneducated on the foundation of driving a car, they are now putting themself and others at risk on the road. Driver’s education gives new drivers the skills and understanding they need to drive safely. This foundation lessens the likelihood of accidents by assisting drivers in making wise decisions and responding correctly in situations that could be hazardous. If students use the skills and safety taught in class, they are helping reduce the risk of deaths on the road.

Encouraging people to take a drivers ed class will ensure the number of deaths from driving is reduced. It isn’t uncommon for people to start driving in their later years of life. It is important that people are aware that enrolling in a drivers ed class is open to anyone and there are thousands of drivers ed programs for people of all ages. By offering top-notch driver education and training programs, this ensures that new drivers are well-trained and have the knowledge and abilities to handle various traffic scenarios. Along with this, it is unfair for all the safe drivers to be put at risk from people who choose to be careless on the road. Drivers who speed, run lights, or use their phone need to be punished. While these are the standard expectations, people still choose to disobey them and often get away with it. With stricter enforcement, people will become more aware of the consequences and take them into consideration before reckless driving. With more police presence and attention to both the speed and red-light cameras, penalties can be enforced. Educating people about the expectations of driving and reminding them of the consequences if these aren’t followed are easy steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths.

Being a safe driver can be done by following a few steps. I can limit my time distracted when driving. This can be done by avoiding using my phone, eating, or doing anything else that would divert my attention from the road. While I always do my best to stay safe on the road, others do not. I can practice defensive driving techniques by always staying on the lookout for other drivers’ unusual behavior and making sure that I am always ready to respond appropriately. An additional step to staying safe is maintaining my car to confirm that it is always ready to operate properly. By encouraging my friends and family to do the same, I can help others become safer on the road. I can help the people around me become safer drivers by being an attentive passenger and expressing if the driver’s actions make me uncomfortable. With that, I can advise them to drive safely and abide by traffic regulations.

Road safety is a team effort, and I can help make the roads safer for everyone by modeling safe driving behaviors for others and myself. You reduce the chance of crashes by adhering to speed restrictions, keeping a safe following distance, and driving attentively and deliberately. Driving safely can prevent deaths and major injuries that could have long-term physical, psychological, and financial repercussions. Travel safe!!