The Dangers of Driving, And My Personal Experience With It

As a young adult and new driver, education is crucial to keeping you and the roads safer. Driver education teaches new drivers the rules of the road and the simple “what to do and what not to do” when driving. People who have not received proper education can wreak havoc on the highway. I will discuss the importance of learning how to drive safely, avoid reckless drivers, take steps to be a better driver, and share my own experiences with reckless driving.

Why is it so crucial for everyone to receive driver education? Let us start with an easy example: There is an epidemic of distracted driving throughout the US. Experienced drivers and new drivers, regularly teens, have been getting into car accidents due to distracted driving, specifically texting/calling while driving. This is the leading cause of car accidents, with speeding in second. With proper driver education, novice drivers are taught the dangers of distracted driving and the potential consequences of taking their eyes off the road. Also, driver education informs new drivers about the risks of speeding. Many people ignore the law and go over the speed limit. However, doing so can decrease reaction time and make it more difficult to react to obstacles. In wet or icy conditions, losing control of the vehicle can easily result in a crash if you do not know how to recover. These are just some common dangers that occur while driving, and good driver education has prevented many people from ending up in situations like those. New drivers learn about the effects of reckless, dangerous, and careless driving. Regularly before education, students do not fully understand the statistics of death rates surrounding reckless driving. Luckily, during the course, students finally get their eyes opened to the terrifying dangers of the road.

So, what can we as a community do? Spreading awareness of the dangers of reckless driving is the best chance of making a difference. Making commercials or using social media to inform people about everyday bad habits when driving would be a great approach. Another step we could take is ensuring that driver education lessons contain enough information on dangerous driving. The class I went through had plenty of information on reckless driving, but some classes are better than others. Ensuring that classes contain enough information on dangerous driving will make a difference.

When it comes to my driving, I am a safe driver. Yes, I may not be the best, but some experiences have made me grateful for the education I received before I got my first car. During the summer of 2023, my friend drove us from the mall after we had just had dinner. It was the early afternoon, and we were headed home to watch a movie before he had to return home for the night. It had rained the entire time while we ate, and the roads were wet. We were around 3 minutes from the house, and he said he would mess around and speed up while driving on a turn. I did not support the idea because the roads were wet, and it was pretty stupid to do on its own. Nevertheless, he went on and did it. He did it once, and we both laughed it off. However, the second time he sped up on a turn, he tried to turn the wheel, but the car did not change direction. He struggled to regain control of the car as we flew towards a motel. Luckily, he was able to stop the car before we got too close to the building, and he certainly learned his lesson.

The steps that I can take to become a better driver would be to refresh my knowledge of the rules of the road regularly. One way would be to get the latest DMV Drivers Handbook in my state and read through it. Another would be to practice driving itself. If you have not parallel parked or k-turned in a while, why not refresh your skills and practice in an empty parking lot? It is best to be prepared for any situation beforehand. Another step I can take to become a better driver would be always to ensure I have enough time to make it to the destination. That way, I will not be inclined to speed at all, and I can take my time and focus on my surroundings.

In conclusion, driver education is essential to ensuring safer roads for everyone. It teaches new drivers about the rules of the road, the dangers of reckless driving, and how to become better drivers. By spreading awareness of the dangers of reckless driving and ensuring that driver education lessons contain enough information on dangerous driving, we can make a difference in reducing accidents and saving lives. Remembering to refresh our knowledge of the rules regularly and practicing driving skills can also help us become better drivers and contribute to the safety of our roads. It is crucial to prioritize driver education to ensure safer roads for ourselves and our communities.