Drivers Education Has an Impact

Drivers Education Has an Impact

On average every year in America, 34,000 people die each year as a result of driving. More people have died from driving than the total number of American soldiers who have died from war in Iraq and Afghanistan combined. Within the span of two years more Americans died due to driving than the total number of American deaths from the Vietnam war. Driving is more dangerous than fighting in a war. Being carless on the road can result in the loss of someone’s life.

It is important to know before driving on the road that your driving education affects others. You would expect that everyone who has a drivers license should know what they are doing in order to keep others safe on the road. The importance of driver’s education in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving is knowing that you are not only responsible for your self but everyone around you. If you are not fully educated before driving on the road you not only put yourself in danger but others around you. Teens taking driver education are less likely to be involved in crashes or get a traffic violation during their first two years of driving. Since the crashes and fatality rates are highest at ages 16-18 it is important to make sure you are fully educated before driving.

With driving being very dangerous for everyone and especially new drivers, there are steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. The driver should always make sure that every passenger in their car is wearing a seat belt. If you have been impaired by alcohol or other drugs never get behind the wheel. Not only is driving under the influence illegal and will land you with a DUI, but it is also one of the highest causes for the number of deaths as a result of driving. To prevent driving under the influence always have a designated driver to ensure that everyone makes it safely to their destination, even when it may feel inconvenient as it will save lives. Another biggest cause for the number of deaths due to driving is being distracted. Text messages and phone calls are never as important as the safety of those on the road. If that text message or phone call is so important that it needs to be answered right away, pull over and make sure that you are no longer putting anyone’s life at risk by answering it. Lastly being on time is not worth risking your life or safety. Make sure to always drive at a speed that you are 100% positive is safe.

Car accidents happen every day. Never think they cannot happen to you. Whether it is your fault, or someone else’s always be prepared. In March 2021, I had the experience of being in my first car accident. With doing the best I could to be in control by not being on my phone, not distracted by music, and keeping my eyes on the road, I still managed to be in a car accident. While coming in a merger lane there was a man laying on the side of the road, with his legs far enough into my lane to where I believed I would have run him over. I swerved out of my lane avoiding hitting him, then being fully worried as to why he is in the road, I was then slamming into the car in front of me. My car being called a total loss, and me being at fault for failing to yield when coming into a merger lane. The important thing is that no one was injured. Sometimes being in the wrong place at the wrong time can happen and it is important to understand that you have no control of things beyond you sometimes. Having taken another way home, I would have never been in the accident. However, car accidents can happen to you so never go around thinking you are invincible on the road and understand that being fully educated in driving can reduce the number of deaths and injuries from accidents.

Steps you can take to be a better safer driver is to be aware of your surroundings by checking your mirrors frequently. Determine a safe following distance from the car in front of you to break to a stop if necessary. Cut out distractions that divert your attention from the road. The one that I learned is to always worry about what is going on in front of your rather than behind you. The importance of drivers’ education saves lives and one day it may save your own.