Driver Education

Mia Merritt

Driver Education Initiative Annual Scholarship

Do you ever wonder what this world would be like if there was no drivers education? Imagine being able to get behind the wheel and drive without learning about safety, traffic maneuvers, and dangerous driving circumstances. Drivers education prepares young teens by showing them the worst of the worst that could happen while being on the road. It teaches students how to safely operate a vehicle on busy interstates. It also teaches you driving techniques that save lives, the lives of yourself and others that may be seated in your vehicle. Teens taking drivers education are proven less likely to be involved in crashes. This doesn’t mean if you take drivers ed then nothing bad will happen to you on the road, you yourself need to be aware of your surroundings and always think safety first.

To elaborate, there are many steps that can be taken to reduce the number of fatalities from car accidents. The main objective is to obey traffic laws, avoid obstruction, drive well rested, and most importantly drive sober without consuming any alcohol or drugs. Also, aggressive driving can result in people using their vehicles as weapons and trying to ram others off the road which is most certainly not legal nor okay unless you want to get arrested for reckless driving. So, if you’re upset, take time to calm down before seriously harming others.

Everyday, almost 30 people in the United States die in drunk driving accidents. My step mother was involved in a drunk driving accident at an intersection. She was not the one drinking however, an older man was obliterated and completely came out of nowhere smashing the side of her vehicle. My step mom got extremely lucky that she was okay but her car was most certainly not. When the police arrived that man got out of his vehicle and said,”I only had a few drinks.” I wish I could say I’m lying but he really said that. This is a perfect example of not obeying the law when driving. Although no one in this situation was injured if you’re drunk you should call a friend or an uber because the outcome could easily be much worse than this. I have been in the car with my friends and they were texting but I always tell them to put the phone down because it makes me uncomfortable. Even if you’re looking down for one second that one second you’re not paying attention can have a huge impact on your life.

Moving forward, when I am on the road I will cut out all distractions, be aware of my surroundings, and take safety seriously. Even when I am in my friend’s car and they want to send a text I will type it out for them so that both hands stay on the wheel at all times. Ultimately, I understand that driving is serious and I will always put safety first.