How Defensive Driving Creates Safe Drivers

Firstly, I will say that educated drivers are safe drivers. Making sure all drivers are educated leads to fewer mistakes while driving. Or, in confusing situations, the driver can approach with caution and find a rational solution. For example, during my driving test, I was instructed to turn left. As I approached the turn, I noticed a car that was stopped directly in the middle of the street. I came to a stop and waited to see what the car would do. The lights were on, and there was a driver, but the car didn’t move. So I slowly made the turn, and my educator commended me on how I handled the situation. Even in odd situations like that, drivers that are taught to prioritize safe driving will make better decisions than anyone else.

One thing that can be done to reduce the number of driving-related deaths is implementing recurring license tests. Taking one test when you’re 16 should not allow you to continue driving until you die. Just like a nurse needs to renew a CPR license, drivers should have to renew their licenses so that the only drivers on the road are safe drivers. Another step that can be taken to ensure drivers are safe is to put heavy emphasis on defensive driving. When I was getting my license, I followed the parent-taught path. I took an online course but did all of my practice hours with my parents. It was during this that my dad taught me about the term. It means driving with the assumption that everyone else around you is an idiot and doesn’t know what they’re doing. Although this is a mean way of putting it, the idea is there. Driving in a way that is safer than all other cars around you automatically lowers your chances of causing an accident. If all drivers implemented this idea, there would be far fewer collisions.

I do have personal experience with car accidents and irresponsible drivers. Almost a year ago, I was in my first car crash. I was 17 and had been driving for almost two years at that point. It was a typical winter day. My brother’s friend asked for a ride home, so I put on some slippers and got behind the wheel. We were driving down the road and chatting when he suddenly said, “Oh, turn left.” The road was icy, and I was too close to make the turn, so I just kept driving past it, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll find somewhere to turn around.” Seconds later, as we were passing a neighborhood, a large black car pulled out directly in front of us. I barely had time to think; I knew that hitting the brakes wasn’t an option with how icy the road was, so I swerved. What would’ve been a head-on collision became a side swipe. The airbags went off, and my car came to a halt. Immediately, I asked if he was okay. He was fine, but my passenger door was far from it. The window had shattered over everything, and he ended up climbing out on the driver’s side. Obviously, I wasn’t at fault. I had the right of way, and the other driver didn’t stop at the stop sign. My car was totaled, and it took a long time for me to find a new one. Although there were no permanent injuries, I will always remember the smell and how scared I was that I didn’t protect my brother’s friend well enough. There is a second incident I want to talk about. Very recently, my brother was also in a car accident. He was driving his friend’s BMW and hit a lamppost before swerving a bit and hitting a tree. Thankfully they were both fine, but my brother was charged with reckless driving. This has caused a lot of strain in our family. In court, they lowered his charge to careless driving. He loses his license for 6 months and has to take a driving course. After that, he is free to drive. My parents, however, are torn between forcing him to get rides or use a bike until he buys his own car and allowing an unsafe driver to be on the road again. As far as I’m concerned, that kid could never touch the wheel again, and I wouldn’t care less. He has shown that he can’t be trusted, and I don’t have a lot of sympathy for his situation. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. One thing I will note, though, is that my brother learned to drive with an education course rather than our parents.

In order to become a safer driver, as I previously mentioned, I can make sure I’m a defensive driver at all times, even when I have somewhere important to be. Furthermore, I can make sure that I am maintaining focus at all times. Driving with loud music, distracting friends, or while tired are all dangerous choices that can lead to accidents. I will encourage others to turn down the music and get good amounts of sleep before getting behind the wheel. My family has had enough accidents, I think, and as my sister begins to work towards her license, I will make sure that I am a good role model and encourage her to drive defensively.