Driver Education: The Root of Change

Caution, especially in the respects of driving, is a term that should never be forgotten. The skill of driving can be further obtained by proper preparation and teaching, leading to better and safer roads. Driver education courses provide teenagers, like me, with these guidelines to become adequate drivers. In these courses, students learn the rules of the road; safety precautions and traffic laws. Instructors teach these young drivers how to safely maneuver and operate vehicles in dangerous conditions such as on interstates, at night, in construction zones, et cetera. Additionally, educators help students by preparing them with the proper maintenance and techniques for driving vehicles.

The number one leading cause of car accidents is distracted driving. According to statistics recorded by a personal law firm, twenty-one percent of teenagers involved in fatal car accidents were distracted by their phones. Another study details that one-fourth of teenagers respond to one or more text messages each time they drive. But driver education courses limit some of this. My peers, who have taken driver education classes, feel as though they are better equipped for the road and pride themselves on being skillful and careful drivers. Secondly, these courses inspire those who have taken them to be better drivers and to genuinely care about being safe on the roads. Likewise, a study shows that teens who take these courses can reduce their vehicle accident rate by slightly over four percent and their tickets by forty percent. Additionally, those who do not take driver’s education courses are twenty four percent more likely to be involved in an accident and sixteen percent more likely to cause one than those who participate in driver’s education. What do all these statistics prove? These numbers all boil down to the importance of driver education and promoting knowledgeable drivers out onto our freeways, streets, and roads.

There are many measures we can take as student drivers to protect everyone. As aforementioned, distracted driving materials such as electronic devices or food and drinks play a significant role in fatal accidents. It is vital that we keep ourselves and those around us accountable in potentially dangerous situations on the road; put away these distractions. Driver education courses teach students how to limit the number of distractions available to them while driving. In addition, another arising issue, leading to fatal situations, is the problematic matter of not wearing a seat belt. Seat belts are one of the best defenses against dangerous instances that deal with distracted or aggressive drivers and road hazards. The wearing of a seat belt improves the effectiveness of the air bags and reduces the risk of death by forty five percent. We can be cautious, skilled drivers by partaking and stressing the importance of putting your distractions away and buckling up. It is important to remember that a driver’s decision affects everyone else, both on the road and in their cars. By holding our friends, family, and selves accountable for dangerous driving, we can save so many lives.

I am fifteen and cannot yet drive. However, by preparing myself for driving and learning the rules of the road early through driver’s education, I will be able to do my part to make the roads safer when I do. It is vital that we continue to educate the arising generation of drivers with these courses to promote safer and secure roads.

I have not yet been in a car accident. Nevertheless, I have been in several instances where if it weren’t due to my parent’s attentive driving, there could have been an accident. For example, there was a vehicle on the shoulder of a family member’s car that was barreling through multiple traffic cones, colliding with other surrounding vehicles, and came to a halt in front of the car I was in. Because of a family member’s focus on the road, seatbelts, and skillful driving there were no injuries let alone fatalities. This situation can demonstrate the importance of being a focused, attentive driver. I will be able to use that as an example of why concentration on the road is so vital.

Additionally, there have been situations where I have had to remind my family members to respect safety regulations such as putting their phone down, seatbelts on, and maintaining the speed limit. Also, it is important to make sure drivers, whether it is you or someone else, are fully functioning and aware enough to operate a vehicle safely. Drunk driving incidents claim around 10,000 lives per year alone. Drivers who appear intoxicated, sleepy, or in medical distress should not get behind the wheel. It is important to be aware of who is driving and keep them accountable to keep those around you safe.

Approximately 34,000 Americans die per year due to driving-related incidents. The highest fatality and accident rate of teens is from the ages sixteen to eighteen. By educating this generation and stressing the value in safe road regulations, we can decrease accident rates and therefore the deaths claimed by driving. Driver education classes are at the root of this change. If we follow the methods practiced in these classes, promote them, wear our seatbelts, and limit distractions in the car, the future driving generation will be able to lower the negative statistics and raise the positives. So, take driver education classes, buckle up, practice safety precautions, and be aware of your surroundings.