Driver Education

Why take driver’s education? Studies have shown that the longer a person has been driving, the less familiar they tend to be with basic driving rules. Most people only remember enough from a driver’s manual to get them through the test and then quickly forget the information. However, in a driver’s education course, people are exposed to the information longer, tested on all aspects of it repeatedly and are required to put the rules of the road into action in front of an instructor and their peers. This practice helps people remember the information better and drive safer when they are out on the road by themselves. I am evidence of this. Driver’s Education helped me to become a more cognizant driver, because distracted driving is and has always been a major issue. Distracted driving is definitely something that affects everyone’s life. The reason so many people are terrified of getting behind the wheel, is because of the accident rates. I know, because it frightened me just last year, after obtaining my license at 17. 

Knowing others personally, that have had close encounters, also was a major contribution to my fear. I know quite a few people that have been affected by distractions while on the road, due to the usage of their cell phones or other distractions in general. My uncle was in a very bad motorcycle accident, due to another driver being distracted, applying her make-up. My uncle was coming to a stop at a stop sign, and the driver was so distracted behind him, that she rammed into his rear tire, while he was still in motion approaching the stop sign. My uncle was thrown many feet in the air and eventually landed in a ditch. The other driver admitted that she was at fault, and I am hopeful that she is now very cognizant of being distracted. I am very thankful that my uncle didn’t suffer from many injuries, other than some bone fractures. Landing in that ditch saved his life. In addition, my mother has had many close calls, but because she attempts to be very cognizant, with limited distractions, she has been able to avoid many accidents. My mother always says, “You can be the most attentive driver in the world, but all it takes is another distracted driver for all of that to change. You must always drive for other people.”  At the time, I didn’t know what she meant, but after driving for almost a year and observing how distracted other drivers can be, I completely understand. People simply tend to believe that distractions only refer to the usage of the cell phone, but that is just not the case once again. 

When behind the wheel, you should know to limit any other interactions or activities. This involves drinking, eating, and even getting too relaxed. Repeatedly looking for music and changing it could also add to those distractions. Even talking to a passenger in your car can be a distraction. I know this, because when I first got my license, I did the exact same things. I was more worried about missing text messages and playing the right songs, and I would catch myself sometimes running along the bumpy ends of the road. After repeatedly hearing about death behind wheels and fatal injuries from my mother, I eventually made a point to keep my phone out of my hands and to limit any other distractions that would take my attention away from the road. In my opinion, nearly colliding with another car after simply trying to change a song on my radio, is not on my to do list. I would rather be safe and aware while on the road. To prevent any further problems, we just have to be smart drivers and think about all of the things distracting drivers. 

There are many things that we can do to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and prevent this behavior among young drivers. According to research, the brain isn’t meant to multitask! Texting and driving is a prime example of this as well. Sending a message takes at least 5-10 seconds. Within that time, the driver in front of you could’ve easily slammed on his/her brakes or hydroplaned into a car beside them within seconds, and you wouldn’t have a clue, because instead of being a smart driver, you chose to put your social life before your safety. There are solutions.

One solution could be to use apps to help you avoid using your phone while driving, or activate your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature, or simply ask your friends and family not to contact you while you’re driving, and that you won’t be talking or texting. People could also just power off cell phones and other mobile electronic devices until they reach their destination or pull over in a safe and legal place if you cannot wait to talk or text. For me personally, another solution could be to preprogram my music and navigation systems, and familiarize myself with my vehicle’s safety features. This will limit distractions as far as operating the radio while driving.

We also need to raise awareness about distracted driving. We need to remind people that they should avoid trying to multitask and to just focus on driving. We definitely must inform people that simple everyday activities, like drinking coffee or applying make up, can be distracting. As a teen, I can be very influential with my peers, and encourage them to speak up if they others driving distracted.  I am very active on social media and could share my pledge on there and create a hashtag that could go viral, like #nodistractions. We can all share messages on social media to remind our other friends, family, and neighbors to be distraction free. My friends and I could ask our families to join us in a pledge to not drive distracted.

Lastly, a solution or rather preventive strategy would be to look out for motorists who are drifting from lane to lane, driving erratically, or are preoccupied by other distracted behaviors. You could pull over and make an emergency call to inform the authorities. “Driving for others” has become a phrase that I now live by, even at 17. I feel strongly that these solutions, amongst many others, could very well save millions of lives.