The Importance of Driver’s Education

I believe it wouldn’t be unnatural for me to say that when most people first got into the driver’s seat to practice driving, they were nervous, but the more time spent on the road, that feeling of unease starts to fade away. This results for most people a sense of confidence that they know what they are doing on the road so they don’t need to worry about being on high alert and retouching on their driver’s ed, for the fact that they think they know everything. This kind of mindset is what leads to the 36,000 deaths of american drivers every year.

This issue is a testament to just how important it is for U.S. citizens to further educate themselves on driving instead of just to obtain a driver’s license. By constantly educating themselves on the rules and regulations of the road, this will increase awareness of just how dangerous a necessity being on the road is. I personally have always been a more nervous driver, I hated trying to learn to drive with my parents, and not just because they would yell about how I’m driving, but because I was worried that if I made a mistake they could be harmed. And while I have gotten over that fear, I am not immune to feeling confident in my driving skills to the point I would dismiss what would be potential threats. Such as, glancing at my phone to read a text when I hear it ping, or change the music currently on my AUX. However, typically after I do that, and look back at the road, it will hit me that in those 3 seconds I took my eyes off the road, it was long enough to be caught off guard and be completely vulnerable to whatever danger was in front of me. Ever since that realization, I have put my phone on “do not disturb” mode everytime I get in the car and I get my music in a certain playlist order so I do not have to hold my phone to change it manually.

Which brings me to another way of lowering potential driving deaths. Remove all distractions from the car, as I mentioned earlier, if most people can’t resist the urge to read a text or an alert from the phone, I’d recommend silencing it, putting it on airplane or do not disturb, or even as far as throwing it in the backseat. So the temptation to look at the phone while driving is outright removed from the equation. But say if there is a desire to play music while driving, and the phone is a requirement in order for the radio t even turn on, then put it on a playlist like I suggested and put the phone away, or if it is a longer drive and a gps app is required then what should occur is the phone plugged into the radio so your phone tells you where to go instead of looking at the map to see it, and for most people including myself, having a visual map is FAR easier to know where you are going, however if the phone runs that much of a distraction and it needs to be out of sight, just do the best you can listening by ear, and if you miss a turn, there will ALWAYS be another road to take you to where you need to go. There’s also the factor or another human being in the car with you, and that can be uncontrollable by the driver in the car, it is ultimately the passengers’ responsibility to not mess with the driver but a good way for drivers to minimize distractions from their passengers if not comfortable with any distractions that could creep into the focus of the driver are the following methods: 1. If the driver is going somewhere unknown or somewhere far away, they could hand their phone to the passenger and give the task of directions that way both people in the front seats are working towards the same goal, and are less likely to get into an accident. 2. Politely ask everyone in the car to put on their earbuds and watch their phone so the driver may have uninterrupted focus while driving. 3. If someone you trust, such as your parents, and you believe they are a more adequate driver then you, and you know they will bring everyone to the destination(s) in a safe manner, then ask if this trusted individual would feel comfortable taking you there.

While some of the suggestions I made in my essay aren’t considered social, and engaging for the passengers, that can always occur at the destination you are all going. It is very important that you and the people you have in your car are safe, rather than entertained.