Save a Life with Driver’s Education

The importance of driving education can not be overstated. It is the only way available for new drivers to efficiently learn all of the laws and safety procedures of operating a vehicle. Not only will driver’s education lessons inform these young drivers, but it will also warn them of potential dangers they may encounter while doing so. It is extremely crucial to be fully educated in vehicle and road rules in order to ensure safety among yourself and others. Most importantly, driver’s education has been proven to reduce the total number of deaths as a result of driving in several ways.

One of the most leading causes of death for young adults is motor vehicle wrecks. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 3,700 people die from car crashes each day. To put this number into perspective, 3,700 people could fill around 77 average-sized school buses. Keep in mind, this does not include the amount of injuries caused from these devastating crashes. A study was conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2015, to measure the effectiveness of driver’s education. They found that drivers who have not completed their driver’s education courses are 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal vehicle accident. This, and many other sources, prove to us that driver’s education is capable of significantly reducing teen crashes.

Luckily, there are many steps, along with driver’s education, that both you and I could take to reduce these death rates relating to driving. Take all of your knowledge and continue to help inform and educate others. Learn defensive driving tips and tricks. Be aware of your surroundings. If you see something that is wrong, speak up about it. Drive only when you know you are safe to do so. It can not be stressed enough that lives depend on your actions when it comes to driving. Help save a life today just by following these simple suggestions.

I am fortunate enough to be considered one of the lucky ones. Not once have I ever been in a car accident, but that does not stop me from being a safe driver advocate. It is heartbreaking to step into school seeing one of your classmates missing, only to find out they had been involved in an appalling car accident. Even just hearing stories from the ones who had to experience these events themselves, should be enough to encourage you to be safe once you sit down in that driver’s seat.

For all of these reasons combined, I will continue to strive to become a better driver and motivate others to do the same. To do this, we can avoid distractions while driving at all costs. Focus on the road. Be prepared for what lies ahead. Follow safety precautions. Buckle your seatbelt. The list could go on and on, but any small or positive action could help tremendously. Overall, by adhering to this checklist we could make the roads a safer place for everyone.