Name: Zenaira Z Cursetji
From: Cypress, CA
Votes: 0
Driving-
A Privilege and Responsibility
As
a young passenger in the car I wouldn’t pay attention to my
surroundings, but after driving I’ve learned how serious a
responsibility driving is. Going through Drivers ed and
behind the wheel training I learned many safety tips and rules. It
made me think that if everyone was aware of and would follow the
rules the amount of car accidents would decrease. Drivers ed
informs people of the rules of the road and important precautions
that they need to take in order to be safe. Even though I’ve never
been involved in an accident, I have heard of many, including one
that happened to my best friend, leaving her scarred. My experience
with drivers ed has taught me the additional steps I can
take to prevent accidents from occurring and be a safe driver. As The
Safety Value of Drivers ed and Training mentions, ”The
principal goal of […] drivers ed and training programs is to
produce ‘safer’ drivers” (Mayhew and Simpson). When people
learn to drive without formal training, they often disregard road
rules. Everyday driving requires people to follow the rules of the
road and adjust to everyday situations. When a person takes Driver’s
Education they learn important safety regulations. Therefore, when a
person combines their knowledge from their Drivers ed
courses and their practiced skill from driving everyday they are able
to better adapt to situations on the roads and practice increased
caution.
According to Road Safety Facts, “Nearly 125 million people die in
road crashes each year, on average 3,287 deaths a day [globally]”.
In the US, this means that “over 37,000 people die in road crashes
each year [and] an additional 2.35 million are injured or disabled”
(“Road Safety Facts”). Having recently gone through Driver’s
Education, I was taught many insightful tips and safety precautions
that I shared which surprised friends and relatives.
Preventing an accident is not always possible, but minimizing the
chances of an accident is. Drivers must not text, call, or drive
under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They must also be cautious
not to hit other drivers, pedestrians, or animals when making turns.
Drivers should refrain from tailgating and antagonizing other
drivers. Lastly, people should not drive if they are unwell mentally,
emotionally, or physically as they pose a threat to themselves and
other drivers. Though it is impossible to eliminate the possibility
of an accident occurring, this helps limit the possibility of them
being the cause. Driving is a privilege and the safety of people fall
in the hands of the driver; therefore, it is important to always be
cautious and careful when driving.
Works
Cited
“Road Safety
Facts.” Association for Safe International Road Travel,
www.asirt.org/safe-travel/road-safety-facts/.
Mayhew, D. R., and
H. M. Simpson. “The Safety Value of Drivers ed and
Training.”
Injury Prevention, BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 1 Sept. 2002,
injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/8/suppl_2/ii3.
