The Importance of Drivers Ed

I
personally took drivers ed over the summer through my school
and I am so glad I did. At the time I complained and was annoyed with
my mom for making me sign up but after going through the process and
learning its importance I am thankful she made me do it.

I
had already been driving with my permit for a few months when
drivers ed started. It helped me to gain confidence by
driving more frequently and learning the rules of the road in a more
formal setting. Many of my friends who did not take driver’s
education are unaware of some of the rules of the road because they
are not as easy to pick up on simply from driving around. One example
of this is who has the right of way. Coming from a small town this is
not as important because most people just let whoever got there first
go first. In busier cities and areas this might not work as well. If
everyone took drivers ed they would be educated on all the
rules of the road which would prevent accidents that could be fatal.

Many
steps can be taken to ensure there are less driving related deaths.
One of the main causes of accidents is distracted drivers –
especially due to texting. Growing up in a generation that is very
technology oriented this could pose a greater issue than with other
age groups. In mandatory health courses in school they should show
educational videos on the effects of driving while distracted in
addition to the DWI videos they already show. This would make kids
more aware of the risks of driving while distracted.

None
of my family members, myself included, text while driving and I would
consider both of my parents to be responsible drivers. However, just
because my mom is a safe driver that does not completely prevent her
from getting in accidents. A year ago I was in a minor car crash with
my mom. She had a green light and a car made an illegal left at a red
light and hit us. It was scary at the time but many good lessons came
out of it. My mom told me some tips and tricks she uses to account
for irresponsible drivers such as checking the rearview mirror at red
lights to see if the car behind me is coming in too fast and might
rear end me.

To
be a safer driver I plan to continue to pay attention at all times
when driving even when I am a passenger. I also plan to educate my
friends if I am in the car and I see something they can approve upon
based on my education and experiences. This will help to prevent
further accidents in my life and that of my friends.

Overall
drivers ed is a very important class that everyone should
take to improve themselves and their knowledge of the road.