What Parents Can Do to Make Our Roads Safer

What Parents Can Do to Make Our Roads Safer

Drivers ed is imperative in reducing deaths that occur on
the road. I recently completed drivers ed and throughout
the course, my lecture teacher constantly talked about the dangers of
driving while distracted or impaired. We watched countless gruesome
videos that depicted the harsh reality of car accidents and teenage
deaths. These videos are necessary for new drivers to watch so they
can truly understand the consequences their driving choices can have.
My instructor also talked about how parents can help to reduce the
number of deaths related to driving by implementing a program for
their children after they pass their road test. I told my parents
about this and they immediately decided to do this. At first, I was
angry because now my “freedom” that I had worked so hard for, by
studying rules of the road, practicing and attending my driver’s
education course, was gone. Now, two months after getting my license,
I realize how grateful I am that they implemented this slow
progression to keep me safe. Many of my friends have passed their
road tests, resulting in immediate gratification to drive whoever,
wherever, and whenever. This is most definitely not the case for me.
I have driven a lot by myself but I have a lot of restrictions as
well. I was not allowed to drive friends until I had driven alone (or
with my immediate family) for one month. This helped me become
accustomed to driving without my parents and prevented distractions.
Many teens are extremely distracted while driving due to cell phones,
blasting music, and friends. For example, a couple weeks ago, I
picked up my sister from a friend’s house and on our way home we
were almost hit. We were stopped at an all way stop sign and after
coming to a complete stop, I started to go. Due to my cautious
nature, upon seeing a car coming from the left, I decided to stop as
he did not look like he was slowing down. My instinct was correct.
The driver turned out to be my friend from school. He blew through
the stop sign while on his cell phone, going at least 10 miles over
the speed limit. This could have had a very different outcome for
those who drive while distracted or impaired as they might not have
seen the car on the left like I did. Fortunately, for those such as
myself, whose parents put their health and safety first and have
strict rules on driving, we are able to maintain our focus and stay
safe. As I have gained more experience and confidence, my parents
have become more comfortable letting me drive further and more often,
gaining the freedom I had been hoping for. These steps can be taken
by other parents to ensure that their teenagers are driving safely on
the roads. I will continue to follow these steps in order to become a
better and safer driver.