Why Drivers Ed is Important

Summer Gaspard

Death,
disfigurement, the taking of another’s life: these are all of the
things that occur because of irresponsible driving. No one wants to
be the victim or the cause of someone’s misery. However, due to
irresponsible driving, this is exactly what happens. Driver’s
Education can play a significant role in reducing the number of
deaths due to irresponsible driving.

Many teenages
begin their quest to become drivers without realizing the difficulty
of operating a machine and what being a safe driver really means.
Drivers ed educates teenagers about the dangers of the
road, while at the same time, informing them about the responsibility
needed to be a part of the driving community.

One step that
can be taken to reduce accidents would be to have drivers under the
age of 21 renew the multiple choice section of the exam annually.
Doing so would ensure that younger adults remain aware of road safety
and not become indifferent about the rules that keep them, as well as
others, safe. For other adults, much heavier fines should be given
when an individual is caught texting or drinking and driving. Drivers
should also be forced to watch documentaries about people whose lives
have been negatively impacted by irresponsible drivers. Finally,
after a second violation, drivers should lose their licenses for at
least two years.

A large portion
of people have had experiences with being in the car, while someone
has driven irresponsibly. My story is close to home. My own father
has, in the past, texted and driven. I have watched him do so on a
number of occasions. However, it was not until a trip to Maine, when
my mother threatened to never travel in a car with him again if his
texting and driving continued, that he stopped. My mother explained
to him that it was the wrong thing to do and that he was setting an
incredibly bad example for my brother and I. I shared my mother’s
opinion about the danger my dad was putting his family, and other
families in, and he stopped.

I am probably
weeks away from getting my license. I haven’t taken the road test
and wont, until I feel completely comfortable behind the wheel. I
plan to be a role model to others by just following the rules of the
road, when I am by myself, or in the car with friends. Modeling safe
driving will eventually help others to remember that when it comes to
driving, safety first! Like everything else, my actions will speak
louder than my words, especially when I am behind the wheel.