2020 Driver Education Initiative Award Scholarship Essay

When I was 15 years old, I had finished segment one of driver’s training and was given a permit to drive with a licensed adult. In broad daylight, I was driving with my parents as we left from a softball tournament. My mom in the passenger seat and my dad in the back. As I started to pull out onto the road, thinking it was clear to cross lanes, my parents began to yell. I was already too far onto the road to stop so I accelerated to avoid the black truck I didn’t see coming. I narrowly missed it. That is a moment and feeling I will never forget as long as I drive.

I’ve never been in a car accident nor have I personally witnessed a friend or family member in one. However, I do have stories of close calls. When I went through segment two of driver’s training, we spent time discussing our almost accidents. I don’t think these events will ever fully be preventable but they can be prepared for. Driver’s education is greatly necessary to teach new drivers the rules of the road. Throughout my driver’s education, I remember learning about different signs as well as the different parts of the car. And while I got experience behind the wheel on the highway and in cities full of stop signs, I specifically remember my instructor avoiding one of the busiest roads where I live. A road that stretches across multiple lanes of traffic and travels through town so you’re guaranteed to drive it if you want to go anywhere. It felt as though that road was left for me to navigate alone with my parents.

Experience is the biggest tool a driver can have. When you have experience on different kinds of roads, it won’t matter where you’re driving because you will be prepared for it. Experience allows a driver to be prepared for any situation and preparedness reduces accidents. Whether it’s congested traffic or horrible weather, it’s important to know what to do in any situation. Driver’s education is necessary so new drivers can be as prepared as possible for real-life situations.

Throughout Covid-19, I went a solid month without driving anywhere. As soon as I was back on the road, I found myself thinking back to driver’s training trying to recall the phrases that were drilled into my brain. Experience can greatly prevent driving errors but so can practice. To be a better and safer driver, practicing what is taught in training will help make the road a safer place to drive. Driving education can only teach a driver so much before it is up to the person to drive themselves. With this being said, one on one driving with an instructor can greatly improve experience and preparedness as a new driver. And as an old driver, it can be beneficial to review what you learned years ago. When the scary facts are widely available, drivers will be able to recall their almost accidents and practice safer habits.