Name: Hunter Underwood
From: Ames, IA
Votes: 0
Hunter Underwood
July 23, 2019
Drivers ed
Initiative Scholarship
Drivers
Beware
One out of four
accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving. The
road is a dangerous place. More and more, drivers use their cell
phones while driving as if the car will drive itself. After going
through drivers ed, I believe young drivers need to learn
more than what to do at a red light. Drivers ed stresses
what drivers need to know that may not be covered within a couple
hours. These include parking lot driving, handling one ways and
learning pedestrian laws. Statistics and videos are another helpful
part of educating young drivers. Although some of the videos may be
gruesome, they teach adolescents what can happen while driving
recklessly on ice or using a phone in the car.
It was a cold winter day and I had just finished up my workout
routine. I got in my car and backed out, heading home from the gym
for a relaxing afternoon. With no time to react, I see a car flying
at me and crash! Right into the side of my car. Yes, I was concerned
about the car but I was also critical about this teenager’s
driving. Did he have the right drivers ed? Could I have saved
him from a tragic accident on the main road?
Many drivers may not realize that what puts them at risk is not
anticipating the actions of other drivers. A lot of drivers,
including myself, don’t always remember there are inexperienced,
careless drivers can take up space on the road at any time. Other
dangers may be those who drink and drive. When recalling my driver’s
education, driving under the influence was stressed. The rule is
simple: DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. Another good rule is to limit driving
time at night as much as possible. A third thing is this: Keep your
vehicle in top condition. One never knows when a tire may blow out or
an engine explodes. Ignoring oil changes and warning lights puts all
drivers on the road at risk.
Personally, I consider myself a fairly safe driver. Nevertheless,
I do drive a fair amount at night and I do see drunk drivers pulled
over. Luckily, I haven’t come too close to one of them. I plan to
be sure to leave my phone down and only answer calls through the car
to minimize distractions when driving. I think it’s important to
promote driving lessons for inexperienced drivers because everyone’s
safety on the road is determined by the worst driver. Driver’s
education wasn’t joking when they showed me those accident videos
and statistics. Be safe, follow the law and wear a seatbelt.
