
Name: Jhonice Lewis
From: Alexandria, Virginia
Votes: 0
Importance of Driver Education
Jhonice Lewis
Importance of Driver Education
A vital part of growing up in America is going through the process of obtaining one’s drivers’ license. Most states allow a person at the age of sixteen to take their written exam as well as a road test to prove they have satisfied the requirements of learning the rules of the road. Whether a person takes a driver’s education class in high school, privately with a certified instructor or learns from a parent or guardian, learning how to safely operate a motor vehicle is as common of a teenage rite of passage as it is to graduate from high school. However, an important aspect of driver’s education is learning how to be safe on the road. Not only must one learn how to protect themselves on the road but must also learn how to be safe to save the lives of others. Statistics how that auto accidents are one of the main causes of death in the United States. Being distracted for even a millisecond can cost you, your passengers, and others on the road their lives. Therefore, it is so important to take driver’s education.
There are several ways to reduce the number of deaths related to auto accidents. For example, most cars made in the last five years include a Bluetooth system as a standard feature, so drivers do not have to be distracted when receiving a text or call. One only presses a button on their console, and they can operate their phone in hands-free mode. Many states have recently passed laws making the operation of a cell phone illegal while driving, unless using the hands-free mode. Additionally, it would reduce the number of deaths if teenagers were taught the dangers of playing loud music in the car while driving. As a new driver, a young person wants to pack the car with several friends, drive around and play music. However, what most people are not taught is loud music can be a distraction when driving, especially for someone who is new on the road. While having fun and talking to their friends and listening to music, it can break the driver’s concentration which can result in a fatal accident.
I have had the misfortune to be involved in two accidents. The first one happened when I was only five, and I was with my mother. We were at an intersection and it was her turn to proceed. A car came speeding out of nowhere and hit our car right in the middle, damaging my mom’s door as well as the passenger door on her side. We were both wearing seatbelts, but I remember us being taken to the hospital in an ambulance. My mom had some injuries such as a broken arm, but we were both lucky. I also remember my dad telling my mom the car that hit us was full of “kids” who were daring the driver to speed through the intersection. The other accident was five years ago, and I was in the car with a friend who I did not know at the time had been drinking before picking me up. The friend hit a tree, but none of us were injured. The police came and I was shocked when they tested my friend, and they were legally drunk. From that point forward, I always ask a person who is driving have they drank alcohol or done any drugs before driving. If they have, I make them park and stay at my house until they sober up or we take an Uber.
For me, I think obeying the common rules of the road is important to becoming a safer driver. I do not exceed the speed limit, I do not drive in extreme weather conditions, and I do not play loud music or do other activities while driving. Even though my car does have a standard Bluetooth system, I rarely use it. The reason is to me, even with the hands-free mode, any type of conversation is distracting, and I would rather arrive to my destination in one piece rather than risk having an accident. In addition to providing a haven for my friends to sober up so they do not drive, I also ask them to turn down their music and limit the conversation in the car. It might seem excessive, but again it is better to arrive alive.