The Dangers without Drivers Education

The importance of driver education plays a large role in reducing the number of deaths as a result of car accidents. Having an accurate knowledge of the rules of the road and how to safely operate a motor vehicle are what separate good drivers from the bad ones. There are a lot of ways someone can be killed in a motor vehicle accident, however following the rules of the road almost always could have prevented it. Knowing the rules of the road is not just about protecting and keeping yourself safe, it is also about protecting and keeping others safe. The rules of the road are very important and are a cornerstone of society. Keeping the roadways in a clean, organized manner is vital to helping to keep other people safe.

There are many paths that society can take to reduce the number of driving related deaths. For example, I live in a very rural community with a lot of Amish. Driving out here is very different to driving in other places, namely because of the horse drawn buggies. It is very difficult to drive out here especially on Sunday nights because Amish buggies do not have turn signals and many of them are not lit up very well. One of the things that could decrease the number of deaths in driving accidents would be to set standards for the lights and equipment a vehicle driving on a road must have, like functioning turn signals or headlights above a certain light level. I have also experienced Amish walking or riding a scooter down the road at three o’ clock in the morning without any lights at all.

I have read in the newspaper about Amish being killed in motor vehicle accidents way too many times. Many of them are thrown from the buggies because Amish buggies do not have seat belts. It is tragic because the Amish do not have to take any driver education courses in order to drive a buggy. I have never been in a car accident and I always try to drive responsibly. I have heard about other people driving recklessly though. At school I will hear other kids talking about driving over the speed limit or not taking the time to slow down and be cautious during bad weather. Based on what I have experienced, being in a hurry is one of the biggest mistakes that people make when driving. There was one time where I was almost in a wreck though. It was on a Sunday night and I was on my way home from church, and an Amish buggy pulled out from their driveway as I was passing another Amish buggy and I almost hit it. Thankfully I was far enough back that I was able to slow down and veer back into my lane and nobody was hurt.

I think that making the roads safer starts with education. Making more people aware of the rules of the road even if they can not drive. Helping people to be safe while on and around the roads plays a crucial role in helping to reduce roadside fatalities. One of the things that I can do to help make the roads safer is to try to slow down and pay more attention to my surroundings. I have never been on my cell phone when I drive and before I start to drive, I always stick my phone in my back pocket so I can not get to it. Which brings me to my next point of cell phones. Taking away cell phones from people who are driving. Cell phones are a humongous distraction to drivers. Many of the accidents I have seen in the newspaper that involve Amish buggies were because of people who were on their cell phones. Anything that distracts someone or takes their focus away they typically roam can help to prevent motor vehicle accidents and save drivers a lot of money in repairs. Learning how to react to your surroundings quickly helps to save lives. One thing that they could do is incorporate a reaction test and make people have to get a certain speed of reaction time to help from the road is a safety hazard. Educating drivers on the time of day that deer are out roaming can also help to prevent accidents. Knowing to watch for deer and what type of areas improve the safety of the roads. These are just a small number of the things that could be incorporated into the driver education system in order to help and reduce the number of human fatalities from driving. Even small changes can help to improve the safety of our roadways.