In the Driver’s Seat

Education is the key to success. Do you think we go to school just to keep us busy? No, we get educated to take in knowledge and prepare ourselves for what the future holds. This is the same reason why every young, inexperienced driver should educate themselves on the aspects of driving.

You could argue that driver’s education is a matter of life and death. Not only for yourself, but for others on the road. The number of highway deaths over two years is more than how many soldiers we lost in the Vietnam War, according to Wikipedia. According to the NHTSA, the projected number of U.S. highway fatalities in twenty nineteen is thirty-six thousand one hundred and twenty. Out of that thirty-six thousand, about six percent of those were drivers aged fifteen to twenty. Those statistics should scare you! It should make you want to educate and learn about driving before you do the real thing.

Although we love them, sometimes you can’t trust your family or friends on the subject of driving. They may give you helpful advice, but that doesn’t always mean they stay true to that advice when they drive. I’m sure we can all relate to a moment when a family member or friend made an irresponsible move while on the road. For example, my grandfather was behind a car at a red light. My grandfather wanted to turn right on red, but the car in front of him wouldn’t move. So, irresponsibly, he kept honking at the vehicle in front of him until he decided to try and fit around him so he could make the turn. By doing so he scraped the side of his truck and the other guy’s car. Decisions like that come from impatience and frustration. Make sure you don’t make the same mistake of not being responsible at all times on the road.

Besides driver’s education, there are steps you can take to be a safer driver and reduce deaths. Here are a few that are important to me: (1.) Make sure to get enough sleep. You need to be alert and ready for anything while driving, and the correct amount of sleep will help you do that. (2.) No phones. I always put my phone in the glove compartment when I drive, just in case, I get the temptation to peek at my latest text or notification. If you think it is that important, pull over somewhere safe to see who called, or texted you. (3.) Plan ahead. If you know you have to drive to an event somewhere in the future, make sure you prepare so that you can leave on time. You don’t want to rush, because it might lead to quick decision making on the road, instead of a safe decision.

If you do educate yourself, not only are you doing yourself a favor, but you are helping other drivers as well by reducing the rate of an accident, or even worse, death.