The Crucial Role of Driver’s Education in helping Teenagers steer through Turbulence

Can you imagine a world without driver education? Imagine the scene: You are peacefully driving straight down this road (meaning you have the right of way). However, there’s a car trying to join this road which is filled with immature teenagers who aren’t wearing their seatbelts, have music blasting, and overall are driving like they are in Mario Kart. As you are approaching they swerve into your lane without their indicator even when it was your right of way and by the time you could react and press the brakes, it was too late. Luckily, we can be a bit more confident on the roads since driver’s education in most states is required. Whenever I used to sit shotgun and observe my parents drive I used to think it was so simple, especially after Google Maps gained popularity. I would never understand why my mom was a timid driver because I used to think “Just follow the directions. It’s pretty self-explanatory.” Only after driver’s education did I realize the complications of driving.

There are WAY more traffic signs that I didn’t even know existed until I had to cover a long chapter about road signs. I had no idea that the color of each road sign mattered. I thought the President spun a wheel and picked whatever color it landed on. In reality, through driver’s education, I learned about traffic laws, the dangers of driving under the influence, how to deal with emergencies, and other responsible behaviors that I can demonstrate on the road to ensure the safety of myself and others. Overall, driver’s education is a crucial step for any individual trying to embark on the roads by informing them of various risks and methods to avoid these risks while instilling a sense of confidence in new drivers.

However, even with driver education, statistics regarding teenage driver’s accidents are severe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading cause of US teen deaths is vehicle crashes. “About 2,800 teens in the United States ages 13–19 were killed, and about 227,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2020” (CDC). Personally, I’m a new driver who got my license around a year ago so thankfully I haven’t been involved in any vehicle crashes. However, some of my loved ones have experienced traumatic driving experiences. My mom back in college had a close roommate who unfortunately got into a bad wreck. She was in such a bad physical condition that a helicopter was needed to transport her to the hospital. That day she was even wearing my mom’s shirt and when my mom saw the blood on her shirt it left a lasting impact, causing her to be a hesitant driver to date. Another scary incident revolved around my friend. On the way home from the airport after a trip to India, my friend’s dad was extremely tired due to the severe jet lag and this drowsiness caused a lack of awareness which led to their accident. I’ve always seen ads or informative posters along the road saying “Don’t drink and drive! Don’t text and drive!” But didn’t realize the seriousness of falling asleep at the wheel is just as detrimental until it happened to my friend. I think some steps that we can take as a society to reduce the number of deaths is to bring more awareness about other dangers and distractions while driving (apart from no driving and no texting at the wheel). In addition, including more measures that monitor drivers can be beneficial such as more police checkpoints, speed cameras, and etc.

At first, when I began driving I wanted to be the safest driver ever but realistically I still have some improvement to do. One issue I struggle with is not caring about others. I know that the world doesn’t revolve around me but as a new driver I feel very subconscious. For example, right turns are so stressful for me. I sit there waiting to make the turn and every time I see a small gap in the traffic I get scared that I will be cutting it too close so I wait some more. But then I feel pressured that I’m holding up the line behind me and get this urge to go soon so that they don’t get mad. This is just one example of the bickering thoughts in my brain as I want to be extra cautious but at the same time don’t want others to judge me or get annoyed with me. The best way that I’ve learned to overcome this is to not take anything personally and stick with my gut. While practicing with my Dad I’ve gotten honked at which really bothered me. However, that’s all a part of the learning process like any other subject and those experiences teach me new lessons to apply next time. If I’m waiting at a right turn and someone is getting impatient behind me I’ve learned to not be bothered by them but to just take my time and “be safe rather than sorry.” It’s important for all new drivers to be confident and the best way to do that is to trust your gut while following the responsible driving practices discussed in driver’s ed.

Overall, I believe driving is fun! I feel a sense of independence when I can drive without having to depend on my parents but this responsibility isn’t to be taken lightly. There are several risks and implications that need to be considered while driving because accidents can happen to anyone. Driver’s education is one of the best ways to get equipped with the skills needed to conquer the road while also reducing the risk of car accidents.