“In the Driver’s Seat”

More people have died as a result of motor vehicle crashes than US military soldiers in all major wars. With the number of new road drivers increasing daily,  the importance of being a safe and educated driver is rising. Teenagers especially, are 10 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than adult drivers. Driver’s education is a great way to reduce the number of deaths that occur as a direct result of driving. Driver’s education walks through everything a student driver needs to know by covering a wide variety of topics related to the road such as road rules, road sign meanings, and vehicle safety and controls. All ways to produce safer and more educated drivers.

Driver’s education properly instructs students on how they should perform on the road and what precautions to take to be a safe and educated driver. For example, a study concluded that “11.1 percent of the driver’s education cohort was involved in a car crash, compared to 12.9 percent of those who did not take driver’s education.”. Research shows that taking a driver’s education course can significantly reduce the likelihood of being involved in an accident. 

Important steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving are to require all teens and students to take a driver’s education course as well as on-the-road training. It is important for students learning how to operate a vehicle to have hands-on experience so that they can get a real feel for what it’s like to be a driver and how important safety is. Drivers can conquer live situations with the comfort of an instructor who can guide them.

 I have experienced being involved in a car accident just a few months ago. My boyfriend and I were heading home from school and were only three minutes from his house when the accident occurred. I was the passenger in the vehicle and no one was severely injured but it was nonetheless a very scary experience. The car I was in was going straight on a two-lane highway with an upcoming 3-way intersection. A woman was taking a left turn to enter into the main highway and failed to properly look and yield to traffic and hit us practically head-on. The airbags went off and the passenger door was crushed in and couldn’t open because the other car was against it. The car began to fill with smoke and we had to immediately evacuate the vehicle. A few people from other cars who witnessed the accident were very kind and helped us out of the car and assisted until the emergency vehicles arrived. Both vehicles involved in the crash were ultimately totaled, however, everyone involved left with only minor injuries. I did end up having to go to the emergency room at my local hospital the next day to have some X-rays done due to arm pain I was having from my arm hitting the door. I also had several burns and slight chest bruising as a result of the airbags. My boyfriend left the scene with some cuts on his hand because when the airbag went off it propelled his hand into the windshield causing it to shatter. The lady that hit us left the accident with no injuries to my knowledge. The whole situation could have been prevented if the woman had been properly educated on road safety and all the steps that need to be taken to complete the action of a left turn correctly. 

I have also seen several of my friends driving irresponsibly and encouraged them to correct their ways. Driver’s education is also important in teaching new drivers the consequences of being unsafe on the road. Steps I could take to be a better and safer driver is to frequently review the things I was taught in my driver’s education program to ensure that the rules of the road are always followed and at the front of my mind. Other things I do to be a safe driver are never going on my phone while driving and keeping the music at a lower volume so I can simply focus on the road and everything that is happening around me. In trying to help other people become better drivers I would recommend that it should be required to take a driver’s education course before being allowed to drive and the punishment for being an irresponsible driver should be increased so people are more likely to follow the rules of the road. I would also advise that drivers check their vehicle’s controls often to be sure their car is safe and working properly and to eliminate all distractions that might be present before getting on the road.  

There are serious consequences to being a negligent driver on the road. “In America, an average of 34,000 people die each year as a result of driving.” Driving is something that most people do almost every day so the importance of being a safe driver is a top priority.  With first-hand experience, I can assure you that a driver’s education and being a safe and responsible driver are important in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving by taking steps to become safer on the road.