DRIVING SAFE

The importance of driving
education is that it allows both younger and older drivers to
understand the rules governing driving on the roads as well as the
risks they are exercising this privilege.

Drivers ed not only
helps embed in the driver the realization that when they are behind
the wheel, they are putting not only their own life at risk but those
of every other driver on the road they come across, and the many
pedestrians who instinctively rely on the driver to exercise caution
in keeping them safe as well.

Using a straight forward
tactic such as Driver Education informs them in a direct manner about
the constant and always present dangers of driving and the rules we
must follow if we are all to become a better driver and avoid
unnecessary accidents and even deaths, by following the important
laws of the road and recognizing that one moment of carelessness can
result in a tragic lifelong injury or even death to oneself or
another.

According to the US Department
of Transportation’s website, there are three

types of driving distractions:

1. A manual distraction causing
   you to remove your hands from the wheel. (Like texting)

2. A visual distraction,
(removing your eyes from the road)

3. A cognitive distraction,
(taking your mind off of what you are actively doing, (driving)

The US Transportation website
also states that texting is the most unsafe of all three types of
distractions while driving and it has also been proven that drivers
that use a handheld device while driving are up to four
times as likely
to be involved in a collision involving injuries.

Another way to reduce the
number of deaths related to driving would be to not getting a drivers
license at all. Utilizing public transportation more frequently will
get more cars off the road (relieving traffic) while at the same time
having a safer trip to your destination. Also, passengers will feel
safer by having a professional at the wheel such as a bus driver,
where they go through more intense training in order to receive their
bus driver license’s resulting in all the passengers feeling as
safe as possible.

Thankfully, I have never been
in any major car accident, but I have experienced a minor one and it
wasn’t a good experience either. I have experienced bad driving
habits by family members and because of that, I feel strongly there
should always be mandatory refresher courses for drivers who already
have their driver license to ensure they are reminded of the rules of
the road, the dangers they constantly face and help them continue
being safe and accident-free each time they embark on a trip in their
car.

I think not allowing high
school students to drive to school and instead implement mandatory
public transportation would prevent all the competition and
distractions students encounter driving to school. Hopefully, in the
future, some of these examples that I mentioned on safe driving can
be implemented for safer roads.

– Jonathan G. Terry