Behind the Wheel of Future

Behind the Wheel of Future

Steering wheels are used to direct a vehicle’s tires to allow it to travel in a specific direction, but this wheel can dictate more than just left from right. With each micromovement of the axis, everyone’s future is one the line. Turn left too fast and your future is in oncoming traffic. With such large stakes, learning how to manage the wheel will help allow better futures for everyone. Drivers Education is a perfect way to help ensure that goal.

As I was taking drivers education in my junior year, our instructor started the year not with in person driving, but with book work. While this may sound like a waste of time, those few worksheets have saved lives. Each lesson contained tips on how to be a defensive driver, what to look out for, and most importantly, the significance of being safe and cautious. One lesson I remember vividly was when our instructor sat down and told us to wait three seconds before going when the light turns green and to never pull forward without looking. When I eventually moved to the road skills portion of the class, he would watch us as we waited at a light to make sure we followed each rule. Later, as I was driving on my own, I made sure to follow the steps just like I was taught. As I reached the second second and turned my head back to the left, a car sped through the red light and right in front of me. Had it not been for drivers education, the future of my life and the lives of everyone in each car would have been drastically different.

I personally have never been in a car accident, and I truly owe that to the teachings found in that semester. In addition to the rules of the light, I learned many other facts and pieces of advice to ensure safe driving; I like to call them my “rules of the future.” My number one rule of the future is to always be alert. Check the mirrors every few seconds to check for any surrounding cars incase pulling off the road is needed. Always keep your eyes moving, for developing tunnel vision can result in fatal consequences. Never, and I repeat, never divert your eyes to things that are not driving. A text or song change can wait. In addition to these teachings to remain cautious, I think that everyone should go at least two miles per hour bellow a posted speed limit. Getting somewhere faster is not worth the risk that you’ll never get there at all.

Tips like these save lives— the futures of our community—and many people without drivers education courses would not have received such influential information. Had I not sat in a class with a book in my lap and my ears open, I may not be sitting here today to tell people about the importance of the program.