Driving: Fun or Dangerous?

Waiting impatiently for my 16th birthday, there was nothing I wanted more than my driver’s license. I was ready to coast up and down the beach at midnight with my windows down, music blasting. Looking back at this time in my life, it’s a good thing that I was educated about the importance of driving safely! Often, getting behind the wheel is romanticized as a fun opportunity to speed down a freeway blasting music with your best friends while taking your eye off the road for an occasional selfie. In reality, there is an average of 34,000 American fatalities due to reckless driving. Our drivers must understand the fundamental lessons taught in driver’s education and the impacts lack of knowledge can have on the fatality rate.

While driver’s education courses may seem like a drag and roadblock to obtaining your license, there is an abundance of lessons that are essential to becoming a safe driver. Besides the essential lessons, such as what road and street signs mean, Driver’s Ed covers topics that impact the safety of all. For example, a primary lesson involves how to share the road with pedestrians and bicycles. Another discussion covers the operation of vehicles in serious weather conditions. However, one of the most important topics within a driver’s education course covers intoxicated driving. Drinking and driving are one of the leading causes of fatalities, which places all drivers on the road in danger. While this subject may be uncomfortable to discuss, learning about the implications of drinking and driving can seriously prevent someone from partaking in this. These lessons, and so many more, must be understood before getting into the driver’s seat because uninformed drivers do not just risk their own lives but also place others in danger.

There are many steps that we can take to reduce the number of annual fatalities on the road. As much as I hate to admit this (as a teenager who loves to drive), raising the legal driving age may result in more educated and mature drivers who understand the risks of being a reckless driver. Additionally, drivers should be required to complete a driving exam and short quiz when they renew their license. I think this would reinforce the lessons that may have been forgotten since they took Driver’s Ed as a teenager. Another measure that could be taken to reduce the number of driving-related deaths could be preventing parking at bars. Although this would be difficult to enforce and mandate, preventing parking or driving to bars would eliminate many intoxicated drivers.

Thankfully, I have never been in a car accident; however, I was placed in a situation where I had to act like the responsible adult, although there was another adult present. As a licensed teenager, I was responsible for driving an intoxicated adult home from a party. However, due to his altered mental state, he lashed out at me, endangering both my brother and me as we attempted to journey safely home. Although a scary drive, we arrived safely and I was able to handle the situation. Even though this was an unexpected, one-time occurrence, it has left a lasting impression on me. I understand the drastic consequences of driving under the influence, although I was not in a situation where the driver was intoxicated. It is stories like this that illustrate the utter importance of driver’s education. Without Driver’s Ed, I would not have been able to handle the situation and drive to my destination in an orderly manner.

Although there are many elements to be cautious of, driving has the potential to connect people, make transportation easy, and even be a fun experience when safe. Once informed and aware of the necessary safety precautions, operating a vehicle is beneficial and rewarding.