Driver’s Education & 1st Year License Restrictions

Drivers Education: 1st Year License Restrictions

 Every teenager is required to complete all the steps of driver’s education in order to receive their license, but one may wonder just how important is this process to keeping drivers and passengers safe on the road. The initial step to becoming a driver is completing several online lessons that teach teens the rules of the road and helps present facts about dangerous driving to give a true understanding of how serious irresponsible driving can be. The driving lessons that proceed getting a license give the necessary practice before driving on their own. Restrictions like a curfew and the inability to drive non-relatives under the age of 25 are also placed on first year drivers. Many teenagers find these restrictions to be lame and pointless until they have had their license for a year and then realize how much better of a driver they are now than they were a year ago. 

What some teens also do not understand is that these restrictions are not just to protect them from themselves, but from others too. Immature passengers distracting the young driver or reckless, drunk drivers at night are both out of their control which is why it is best to avoid these possibilities. I believe that if explanations such as these were put into the online lessons, more teens may be open to the restrictions and not so tempted to ignore them. I know so many young drivers that only think about the ticket when they are following the rules and not on the actual dangers. Yes, it is important to have legal consequences as a way to sway teens, but I believe that online lessons, permit tests, and social media platforms can be used to shift this more towards the need for safety over punishment. Even the driver instructors can do a better job at this. I remember my instructor was so strict on every little infraction when I wish that he could have given me more tips and tricks on safe driving. There is no way to create perfect drivers, but there is a way to create safer drivers, and general safety advice may actually work better than strict orders. 

I was once in an accident that was honestly mostly my fault. While following the speed limit, I was not giving myself enough space behind the car in front of me. Luckily, it was a very small accident and nobody was hurt. Still, it was the perfect wake up call to realize how quickly things can happen on the road and how important it is to take as many precautions as possible. Limiting as many distractions as possible, whether it be eating or texting, as well as giving other cars as much space as possible are two easy ways for safer driving. Others may not be as fortunate as me as to live to learn from their mistakes so I do my best to pass on this advice to anyone I can.