Driver Initiative

Driver Education is crucial to decreasing driving related deaths. I went through Drivers Ed about a year and a half ago. Before the course, I had minimal knowledge of driving rules and expectations. Anytime my parents would talk about driving or directions I would be completely lost. The drivers ed course was fun and engaging which made the information stick in my mind. I remember there being a lesson that showed real life stories about driving deaths because of distracted driving. It made the danger seem very real and influenced me and the others to be extra cautious while practicing driving. After completing the class portion of the course I completed 6 hours of driving time with a coach one-on-one, which was unbelievably important to my driver’s Ed process. It allowed me to build up the courage to drive confidently. I believe a confident driver is more safe than a scared driver because panicking on the road is dangerous. After completing the full course and receiving my permit, I was still a little nervous to go out on the road but I felt much more prepared and confident than I was before. Driving offers a new freedom but also responsibility. While you may not always realize, you have the life of any other cars you pass in your hands. As a newly permitted driver, I remember my grandma driving with me and telling me that the next car’s right of way rotates to the left of you when I had just learned in class it was to the right! I tried to reason with her but she was almost certain it was to the left. This shows how important Drivers Ed is; If my grandma had turned out of order she could have gotten into a wreck.

A good step that can be taken to reduce the amount of driving-related deaths could be related to the mandatory renewal of driver’s licenses. In my state every 4 years you must renew your license. If we were to also require a refresher course for driver’s ed to renew your license I believe it would majorly decrease the amount of accidents created by driving. I believe most driving accidents are caused by forgetfulness. It is very difficult for adults to remember rules they learned as a teen many years ago. With a short and simple refresher course, they would not only be reeducated on the rules of the road but also on the tragedy that can be caused by distracted driving. A mini distracted driving lesson embedded into the refresher course would also be extremely beneficial to decreasing accidents caused by distracted drivers. It can encourage drivers to refrain from distracted driving and show what could result from it if they do.

I have never been in a car accident myself as I am fortunate my family are pretty good drivers, however, I have had some close calls caused by other drivers. For example, a few weeks ago I was driving home from school and the car behind me was driving very close behind me. I was going at an above satisfactory speed so it should not have been a problem. The driver was swerving into the left lane behind me and driving in the left lane right until a car came and they would swerve out of the way. They had some very close calls before they finally went around me on a double lined road, which means you can not legally pass others. It made me very anxious and confused. I did not want to get back out on the road for a little while after that. While I understand sometimes you are in a hurry, It is not an excuse to illegally pass someone. There are double lines for a reason, to keep people safe since you can not see enough ahead to safely pass. It could be a possibility the person was simply not educated in the fact it was illegal, and a refresher course could help people like them.

A step I can take personally to improve my driving safety is to put my phone away and out of reach while driving. I can see my music, maps, and Siri from my center console screen so there is no need to have my phone distracting me while I drive. I can also download apps that act as refresher courses and quizzes to keep my driver’s safety education up to date. I can also suggest to my new driver friends to partake in the safety precautions I do as well. I can educate my family and others on unpopular facts about driving. Turning on driver mode on my phone when I drive is also something I, or anyone, can do to prevent distracted driving accidents.