Acceleration Towards a Solution

Why did the chicken cross the road? A common riddle told countless times. What if the chicken never made it to the other side? Did he stop and check oncoming traffic, is the chicken at fault or the one behind the wheel? This is the reality of our world today, in Utah, UDOT or the Utah Department of Transportation reported 53 pedestrian deaths alone in 2022. Of those 53, 12 were children under the age of 9. What is the solution here, how can driver’s education play a positive role and what steps can be taken to ensure a safer future for everyone on the road? Let us accelerate towards a solution with the end in mind and refuel our hope in society.

As a senior in high school, I enrolled in an Emergency Medical Technician Course where I learned what it meant to see people at their worst moments and deliver the care they need. In this class, we discussed many scenarios of reckless driving and the long-term effects on both the driver and the one injured. When I get behind the wheel I am more cautious of my surroundings, because I know the possible consequences when we are not. I am now a freshman in college and have seen firsthand how important it is to be wary of pedestrians, you never know what someone else is thinking. There have been times when fellow college students have stepped out onto the road without a care in the world. They failed to look both ways or even check if the driver would stop for them, just like the chicken in some versions of the riddle. Pedestrian safety needs to be one of our top priorities when driving.

Driver education played a positive role in my life as I hope it has in many others. At the age of 16, it is a very exciting time in our lives, but do we truly understand the responsibility we have once we get the keys? I am so thankful for my Driver’s Ed instructors who taught me to be vigilant and a responsible driver. I learned the basics as well as techniques that keep me safe in the event of severe weather as we experience various types in Utah. I learned to be a safe driver and always beware of those driving next to me. They taught me how to tell if a green light was fresh and the concept of “the point of no return” when it came to intersections. These are important skills that have kept me from being hesitant when it comes to my decision to continue through an intersection or not. I have learned skills demonstrating when the appropriate and safe time to turn left is. We called it the 8-second rule. Through this class and program, I have developed valuable skills that I can apply daily for the rest of my life. I think driver’s education should be considered one of the most valuable subjects in high school. It is through this class you become a driver, the person behind the wheel, and you take your own life into your own hands. Students must understand the impact they have on the lives around them once they become the driver. Being a safe driver is one of the greatest lessons to learn during adolescence. With this in mind, we can see the true purpose of driver education and the necessity for it.

Now, I feel it is just as imperative to educate students on how to be cautious pedestrians. Adding this concept to the driver’s education curriculum is a possible solution to preventing pedestrian deaths. Along with driver’s ed, I feel it is important for parents to teach their children common safety precautions of the road. Driver’s education can be a continuous thing and even started at a young age. Driving has become a habit or a daily task, instead, we should remember that it is a privilege. Through modern technology, we have developed this contraption that gets us from point A to point B in a matter of minutes. We were all 16 at one point and remember the joy, fear, and pride when we passed our driver’s test. Let us not forget the first time we grabbed the wheel at 10 and 2 or 9 and 3 now. What we do and the driving habits we acquire matter. They matter to the person crossing the road, to your family at home, and to the family of the drivers around you.

Hitting the road involves more than just ourselves. Step on the gas, and be a courteous and cautious driver. Shift into a 4-wheel drive towards a brighter tomorrow. Acknowledge the impact of driver’s education in your life, and share it with others. Practice what you preach, and be a responsible motor vehicle operator. Driving is a great honor that keeps our world in motion. Don’t forget the little guys, stop for the chicken crossing the road. It is through the small efforts that we make today, whether it be in or out of the classroom that allow us to accelerate toward solutions for a better tomorrow.