The Benefits of Drivers Education

Driver safety is important because every single teen is counting the days before they can take their permit test and start driving. Driving is a huge responsibility!

A good driver’s ed program teaches you how to stay alert, anticipate hazards, and make smart decisions to avoid accidents. Another key benefit is that it helps you understand the rules of the road and why they matter. In driver’s education, you cover things like speeding, distracted driving, DUI laws, and seatbelt use. This helps you not only pass your driving test but also keeps you safe and law-abiding after you get your license. By learning the consequences of breaking traffic laws, you’re more likely to drive responsibly and avoid getting into trouble later on. You cannot learn all these things from watching YouTube videos. I did have a sense of anxiety/fear about getting behind the wheel for the first time alone. But driver’s ed helps with that too. You get to practice in a controlled, supportive environment, often driving on quiet roads first.

Driver’s education also taught me some basic car maintenance. We learned how to check oil levels, monitor tire pressure, and recognize warning lights on the dash. This isn’t just about avoiding breakdowns—it’s also about staying safe and understanding the importance of keeping your car in good shape.

In driver’s ed, you cover things like speeding, distracted driving, DUI laws, and seatbelt use. This helps you not only pass your driving test but also keeps you safe and law-abiding after you get your license. By learning the consequences of breaking traffic laws, you’re more likely to drive responsibly and avoid getting into trouble later on.

Driver’s ed also teaches you a lot of valuable life skills, like patience, focus, and decision-making under pressure. These skills don’t just help you on the road—they’re useful in everyday life, too.

I understand that teens who take driver’s education courses have fewer crashes and traffic tickets than those who don’t, which is pretty reassuring.

I can honestly say that my parents forced me to take drivers education. Looking back on it now, I understand the value. We had 15 zoom calls and four behind the wheel lessons. As you can imagine, to a teen, those weekly zoom calls were tough to sit through. I don’t think I would have learned everything the zoom calls covered if I had not attended them. I found the behind the wheel classes to be the best input – I received one-on-one input in real time from a well trained instructor.

It would have been great if driver’s education was offered through school – I guess it used to be – maybe insurance was an issue? It taught me a lot and I’m glad I participated (don’t tell my parents). In our town because of awful accidents, the police and our high school communicate safe driving responsibilities. It’s on everyone’s minds. Periodically cars that have been crashed are setup as an example – that has impacted me!

I think the biggest challenges teens face today along with the phone is peer pressure. Sometimes my friends act like absolute idiots while I’m driving. It makes it hard to concentrate. I have to remind them that I’m driving and they need to settle down. It does make me proud however to be the designated driver most times.

We have lost two teens in New Milford, CT in the past year. I knew both boys casually and they were both good kids. Both were due to excessive speed and racing was involved in one case. It was incredibly sad to listen to the families left behind speak at the candle light vigils. The students were so gifted and listening to what could have been just breaks you. Those involved will never be the same.

I do think lack of experience can be another big reason for accidents. I drive a lot because I was one of my first friends to turn 18 and have a car. I am careful about the situations I put myself in.

Overall, driver’s education isn’t just about passing a test—it’s about learning how to drive safely, responsibly, and with confidence. I found that it teaches you the skills to avoid accidents, obey traffic laws, and to be aware of the risks that come with driving. In the long run, hopefully it saves lives, reduces the chances of accidents, and some say that it even saves you money on insurance – not in my case however! It’s an investment that will pay off for a long time to come.