What makes a Good Driver?

If you are anything like me, you may think new skills will just come naturally, that you’ll start learning them, and that it will be the easiest thing ever. It’s ok if you are; lots of people think that. I’m here to say that driving is something you shouldn’t handle like that. Driving is something everyone looks forward to; it’s everyone’s first step into freedom, being able to go wherever they want whenever they want. However, not everyone prepares or drives as safely as they should. According to a website, “in 2022 alone, there were approximately 117 fatal car accidents in the U.S. ” that’s around 42,705 fatal accidents a year; and remember, these are just the reported fatal accidents; there are much more non-fatal accidents that happen. Nobody wants to be in an accident or even see a loved one be in an accident, and that is why it’s important to take the proper education to keep our roads a safer place for ourselves and our loved ones.

Driver education is known by almost, if not all, teenagers. It’s what they have to take in order to get their permit, which will allow them to practice driving on the roads, which will allow them to gain their license before the age of 18. While some people take the time to learn and absorb the material taught in these classes, others don’t really care. It’s understandable; the classes and information aren’t the most engaging or exciting, which makes it hard to actually want to pay attention and learn; it’s easier to just google the answers for any work you’re given instead of actually learning it. This is why it’s so easy for students to just ignore the classes, but it’s crucial for everyone, including yourself, that you learn the responsibilities you have as a driver and what actions you can take to keep yourself and others safe on the road. Some people can’t afford a driver’s education or don’t have time for an extra class to take. The majority of people who take driver’s education are teenagers, which means they have other things going on, such as high school, college plans, and maybe even jobs. While these make it harder to take driver’s education, it’s important to remember that driver’s education isn’t limited to the actual course you have to take. While the course allows teenagers to get a license before the age of 18, parental teaching is another valid way to learn safe driving habits without going through the actual course. Taking precautions to drive safely is never a bad thing. Without proper safety lessons, our roads would be chaotic. Just the other day, my friends and I were driving down the highway, and while we didn’t get into a crash, another car ignored the yield sign in their lane and was close to cutting us off. We laughed about it as nobody was hurt, but that outcome could’ve been changed with a split second. This is why driver’s education is important; some people either don’t pay attention or just don’t know what things mean. It’s not embarrassing; I only learned about certain signs recently too; it’s better to learn about them before driving than while you’re driving.

Besides the driver, what else can be done to help keep our roads safe? This heavily relies on the courses; there’s very little outside of the courses that can be done, as the safety of our roads is dependent on our drivers’ actions, which stem from how much they learn from any driver’s education they can receive. Yes, it’s fun to jam down the gas and speed down an empty road, hearing the engine of the car roar and feeling the acceleration through your body; however, it may not always be the best idea, even on an empty road. I’ve been in many cars with different people, and everyone drives differently; some speed a bit more, enjoying the rush, while others drive more cautiously. I admit, I enjoy the rush of my friends who speed; however, I also enjoy knowing that there’s less risk with my cautious drivers.

Something we can do to help reduce the number of accidents on the road is by improving the driver’s education system, making it somehow more engaging so students want to learn and remember, and making the education more accessible. Some people can’t afford it because of certain situations, which means they have to pass their drivers test with whatever education they can receive. Sadly, there isn’t exactly too much we can do; accidents happen, and sometimes nothing can be done to prevent them. You can memorize the books and be the safest driver there is, but just because you are doesn’t mean everyone else is. Sometimes you know how to drive safely but still end up causing an accident. I remember around January, one of my closest friends, who I hold very dear to me, sent me a photo through social media informing me that she had been involved in a crash. I don’t know the full details, as I didn’t pry her for answers, but all I remember is that her sister was driving and didn’t see a car in front of her and ended up rear-ending them. Thankfully, neither party was injured besides my friend hurting her leg, and the people they rear-ended were understanding, but this accident where my friend walked away from could have easily been different.

Don’t let boring education stop you from keeping our roads safe for everyone. Don’t just let other people drive recklessly without a care. These actions, which you may see as small now, could end up resulting in a story nobody wants to tell. Learn and set the standards for what makes a good driver in our society. Protect others by protecting yourself.