Importance of Driver Education

Importance of Driver Education

Rain poured loudly down outside. The swish swash of the wipers drowned out any noise in the car. My sister, mother and I were all just casually talking as my mom was driving the car on the slick roads. The road was a road we had travelled on the daily. The light had turned yellow just as we were crossing the intersection. I took a quick glance to my right where I was blinded by the lights of a truck growing larger and larger. What followed was a loud bang and screaming from the back seat. The car skidded sharply to the left and spun into the intersection as I gripped tightly onto my seatbelt. Finally we came to a stop and as everything settled, I could see there was a truck sized dent in the door next to me.

The driver of the truck had failed to check the intersection before he assumed he could cross. By luck I had a minor scratch on my arm and my mother and sister were frazzled but not physically damaged. We didn’t have the courage to drive on that road for at least half a year after that. Being in a car accident can not only cause physical damage but can take an enormous toll on a person mentally. So why do we still drive like we have no care for human life?

The simple answer is people are not educated enough. Driver education is extremely important in reducing the number of deaths by driving. In an accident, people get injured and die even though the accident was never their fault to begin with. We see these in drunk driving cases and in hit and run cases. An educated driver will know not only how to protect themselves but protect those around them. By being educated on the road, a driver knows how to communicate properly with other drivers and learn the ability to foresee hazards and unsafe conditions. But simply being educated about being a safe driver is not useful unless the driver utilizes those skills.

To reduce the number of deaths related to driving, all drivers must take certain steps. As a driver it is their responsibility to make sure everyone in the car is safe. This means making sure that every single passenger is buckled up According to the Motor Vehicle Safety division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this reduces the risk of death and injury by nearly 50%. A driver should also never get behind the wheel if they are impared by either drugs or alcohol. That being said, being drowsy while driving is the same as being impared, pull over and take a nap instead of putting lives at risk. Remember that being on time is not worth a life. Speeding coupled with unsafe road conditions could be the determining factor of if the driver reaches or doesn’t reach their location at all. Lastly, never drive distracted, this means using a cellphone or eating that burger. Following simple steps as these protects the lives of the driver and everyone else around them.

As someone who has been in an accident, I realize the importance of being a safe driver. I recently earned my license a few months ago and have been actively following steps to be a safe driver. I can help others become a safe driver by making sure they follow the speed limit and use their turn signal when changing lanes. I know I have the right to refuse to get in the car of an unsafe driver and I will use that right when I deem necessary. Lives are not something to be played with and being a safe driver allows for the betterment of the drivers and other individuals’ experience on the road.