Driver’s Education: A Force Against Injury and Death`

Driver’s education has been around for a very long time. The first ever Driver’s Education course took place at State College, Pennsylvania in 1934. I took a driver’s education course this previous summer in order to obtain my driver’s license. I believe these courses are extremely important when it comes to preparing new drivers to the world of travel and danger. Having a driver’s license is very valuable when it comes to a teenager’s independence and freedom. It opens up a whole new world of exploration and availability. There are some teenagers that go without the course and those are typically the ones I’m concerned about. A driver’s education course allows students to learn what they may encounter as a new and experienced driver and how to face it. Things like how to drive in abnormal whether, or how to react to an animal on the road, or how to shift their driving in the event of another car being pulled over, are all important to a driver’s safety on the road.

Driver’s safety includes the safety precautions take both within and outside of the car. As the driver, you are responsible for yourself and your passengers. I never leave my driveway without making sure everyone in my vehicle is buckled up. In the event of an accident, a seatbelt can be the difference between life and death. Being aware of your surroundings while you drive, always alert, will enable you to react quicker to unseen threats on the road or predicted weather predicaments. It’s always important for a driver to never drive while they’re fatigued, intoxicated, or impaired in any way. This will always be unsafe for the driver, passengers, and other roadway users.

I haven’t been in a car accident, personally, but I have witnessed my mother in an accident or hitting animals and I have had some irresponsible drivers in my family. My mother’s accident was not her fault, but since she was wearing her seatbelt she was safe, though her car was totaled. As for irresponsible drivers, my earlier years were spent knowing my uncle to be in jail for drunk driving. It seemed to be a normal thing of his to drink and drive and, to this day, I don’t think he wears his seatbelt. After serving his jail time, he no longer drinks and drives, but I’m still concerned for his safety, regarding his other driving habits. Drunk driving can and will kill people whether it is the driver or the passengers of the other vehicle they may have it. It’s happened before and it is certain that it will happen again.

As a new driver there are many steps I can take to ensure my safety, my passengers’ safety, and other roadway users’ safety. I am currently enrolling in a defensive driving course to learn how to handle high-stress situations while I’m behind the wheel. It’s important to always be prepared for the unexpected and to know how to handle such situations. For instance, if an oncoming vehicle were to pass another vehicle on a curve and couldn’t see me coming, what would I do? Would I keep driving and hope they make it back into their lane in time? Or would I slow my speed to ensure that they do? Or would it be best to pull over and ensure my safety along with my passengers regardless if we’re running late somewhere? It’s important to constantly be asking yourself questions about what you should do while you are on the road. Always be sure about how you will drive when it’s raining, icy, or windy, and stick to that driving pattern for each occasion. When you are behind the wheel, you can never be too careful. Take the extra precautions. They may take a little time from you, but they could save your life.

Another thing many people often forget about when it comes to safety in a vehicle is the maintenance of the vehicle. Murphy’s Law can apply to every aspect of life; if it can go wrong, it will go wrong. So don’t wait for the bad things to happen. Step ahead of the game and keep up the maintenance of your car. There’s so many parts of vehicle that can fail and cause chaos when you least expect or want it to. Keep up on changing your oil and keeping your tires in good condition. If your taillights go out, replace them as soon as you possibly can. Always keep back up parts so you have them on hand when you most need them. And a piece of advice that my father gave me: always keep forty dollars somewhere in your car. Why? If you end up stranded on the side of the road due to a mishap and someone stops to help you, you can pay them for their assistance and time. Anything could happen if you get distracted, and you could be wholly responsible. Always give back when you can and always watch out for others when you’re behind the wheel.