Importance of Drivers Education

Importance of Drivers Education

Turning 16 is one of the most exhilarating occurrences in a teenager’s life. Not only are you a year closer to adulthood, but you are eligible for a driver’s license. Most teenagers fail to realize that getting a license is not simply just passing a driver’s test, it involves knowing the mechanics of a vehicle, understanding traffic laws and the importance of dangers associated with automobiles. By enrolling new drivers in a program like drivers’ education, it prepares them to take on the responsibility of a motorized vehicle and the information necessary to respond to difficult driving situations.

To begin, taking a driver’s education course gives the inexperienced driver a set of skills and knowledge learned from a professional driving instructor. While most young drivers are taught by family or friends, these instructors have several years of experience researching and teaching students all the necessary lessons needed to successfully pass their driving test. While a parent can teach you the mechanics of driving on the road, the instructor has the ability to go in depth in the safety reasons behind the rules, regulations of the road and what can happen. Moreover, adding a new driver to an insurance plan can be very costly, especially an adolescent teenager. Due to young drivers being high risk many insurance plans increase their price, making insurance coverage expensive. To reduce the cost, many insurance companies offer discounts or benefits to teens who take part in a driver’s education. By enrolling in driver’s education, it can teach you how to be an aware safe driver and save you money on insurance premiums. Additionally, incorporating driving lessons prior to getting a license gives the driver confidence in their driving abilities and respond more effectively in difficult driving situations. It allows the driver to feel that they are in control of the vehicle and counteracts second guessing which can prevent a car accident. According to the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, “Young drivers who have not completed driver’s education are 75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident and 16 percent more likely to have an accident”.  

Thankfully, I have never been in a car accident. Although, I have experienced reckless and irresponsible driving. I have many friends my age that have also accomplished getting a driver’s license. What many fail to realize is that they are still unaccustomed to a motorized vehicle. This creates a sense of false confidence and do things such as text while driving, change music while driving, speed, and take higher risk which can lead to an accident. As the passenger of the vehicle, seeing my friends distracted by texting is nerve racking and unsafe. Learning from this experience, I would not want the passengers in my car to feel unsafe or alarmed. Therefore, I keep my full attention on the road and obey the traffic rules. 

To reduce the number of deaths related to driving, we must find the root cause and take action regarding this situation. One of the simplest ways to reduce the number of deaths in driving accidents is to wear a seatbelt. A study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted that “Of the 37,133 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2017, 47% were not wearing seat belts.”  Buckling up is the single most effective thing you can do to protect yourself in a crash. Thus, reminding your siblings or friends to wear their seatbelts, including yourself, greatly reduces the chances of a fatal accident. 

One of the leading causes of car accident fatalities is due to distracted driving.  A big influence in distracted driving is texting while operating a vehicle. The National Safety Council reports that 1 out of every 4 cars get into an accident due to texting and driving. By putting your phone out of reach or on silent eliminates the need to respond to a text. In case of an emergency, take a few extra minutes to pull safely off the road and answer the phone. If an issue is not important enough to pull over and stop your vehicle properly for, it is not important enough to risk your life by messing on your phone while you are driving.  During driver’s education, wearing a seat belt, no texting while driving, and always keep full attention on the road are three focus points that gets reiterated throughout your entire course.  By the time you are done with you driver’s education course, you will remember every time you get behind a wheel.  

Being a secure driver is not something I take lightly. To be the safest I can be, I have taken drivers education and learned the fundamentals of being a safe driver. I learned how to drive during difficult weather situations, how to park a car on a downhill slope, and how to keep control of your car while driving on wet roads. In addition, I have been one of the new drivers that have benefitted from a decrease in insurance premiums. I try to set a good example for my siblings knowing they will be driving soon by not texting and driving and enforce always wearing a seatbelt. Lastly, I maintain the speed limit and to always look both ways at an intersection. With that being said, I choose to not “beat the light” and speed on an intersection.

All in all, driver’s education is a good way to start learning how to be a safe driver. Learning from a professional driving teacher along with a parent or friend allows the driver to learn thoroughly. Additionally, after completing the course, new drivers will be more prepared and have more confidence in driving and make smarter choices. Safety is the main priority when it comes to driving, therefore, buckling up and staying focused on the road keep you and other drivers safe. Being a new driver can be worrisome, especially when you are young. Hence, taking driving courses can not only keep you safe, but others as well.