Drive Smart to Stay Safe

I was one of the first of my friends to start driving sophomore year of high school. Driving and having the freedom to just get up and go changed everything for me. I saw my friends more, I got more involved in the activities around me, and more than anything it was convenient to be able to just go wherever I needed to go without having to wait for someone to take me. However, it wasn’t just as easy as “get-up-and-go” to get a driver’s license. When I turned fifteen I got my learners permit as most do and enjoyed it but driving also stressed me out. From trying not to hit curbs or other cars, and even trying to make sure I stayed in the lines of the lanes and parking. It occurred to me that learning to drive was not going to be as easy as it looked from the backseat of my parents car. When I came to that realization I knew I needed to learn anything and everything I could about the roads and the rules that came along with it. And even more so since this would be a life skill I would use for the rest of my life. I used an online driver education course, as my driving school, to learn all the things I needed to know before I officially got my license. I paid as much attention as I could to that driving education and still refer back to that knowledge from time to time even today. Fortunately I have never been in a wreck and I think that has to do a lot with the care and time I put into and got out of my drivers education course. I feel it is so important for anyone getting behind the wheel to know as much about everything that they can. Drivers education courses are beneficial for so many reasons such as teaching safety, responsibility, how to handle financial and legal benefits, and even independence. It is important to know how to defend yourself in situations such as wrecks. One of my friends got into a wreck on the way to school. After the wreck happened, she calmed down, and information among her and the other driver had been swapped; she was left wondering who was in the wrong. Was she in the wrong for not yielding, or was the other car in the wrong for switching lanes while in the middle of an intersection? When she later explained the situation to me and a friend we were both able to tell her legally she was in the wrong. However she should bring up the point of the other car switching lanes within an intersection which is not legal either. When doing so she was able to not owe the other driver as much money since they were technically in the wrong too. She now knows that information but I’m proud that I was the one able to provide that information, but even more so for knowing that information in the first place. Another benefit financially from drivers education is that a lot of the time insurance will decrease the amount you owe if you’re willing to take extra courses for safe driving. One of the best things to come from my drivers license was the independence. I got a job and was able to feel freedom. I think that’s especially important for highschool students to experience. Getting behind the wheel is a big responsibility and I think a drivers education course is a great way for students to understand the responsibilities of it before just being handed the keys to freedom. Yet, more than anything, student drivers have an impact on the community. Our student driver habits contribute to the overall road safety. Due to this we need to have the best habits we can in hopes of reducing the accidents and fatalities in America on the daily. Drivers education courses teach you everything you need to know not only about how you should drive, but also how to be aware of other drivers to keep yourself safe. Overall I’m sure each person can think of why driver education is important to them. However, as a high school student with personal experience with driver education and the responsibilities of it, these are the main points I feel are most important.