keys and license

Keys and license.

The legal age for driving in the united states of America is sixteen. At sixteen, most children are in high school and still growing, particularly cognitively. It is not to say that driving at sixteen is dangerous or irresponsible; instead, it points to driver education’s importance at an earlier age than expected. Shockingly, more people die from automobile accidents than those at war; there are advertisements for car crash insurance, but very few for driver education. In other words, we need more awareness about driver education because it is a crucial requirement in driving a vehicle, and the earlier it is taught and learned, the better.

Driver education is a course that teaches the techniques of driving. However, it is more than that. It goes beyond teaching parallel parking; it teaches how to safely operate a vehicle in dangerous driving situations like foggy weather, traffic jam, rainy weather, etc. It teaches safety on the road, an essential requirement for driving. 

Safety is not limited to wearing the seatbelt, which is also crucial; it includes focusing while driving, obeying traffic rules, ensuring a vehicle is safe to be on the road, and being responsible. Distracted driving is the highest cause of car crashes in the united states. It often results from drivers taking their eyes off the road for the slightest second to answer their phones or read a text message. In the last two years, my mother had three car crashes, two of which resulted from distracted driving, and the other was due to poor weather. The irony of the situation is that more often than not, we usually see these little things as harmless, but they are not. By giving drivers their licenses, the United States of America is entrusting them with a responsibility to keep themselves and other road users safe.  

To fulfill the responsibility of keeping road users safe, to-be drivers must practice safe driving by first taking driver education courses and practicing them; doing so would reduce the number of death and injuries related to automobile accidents. Second, drivers should not drive when in a foul mood; this could lead to road rage and end up causing a preventable accident. Third, proper maintenance and inspection of automobiles before going on the road; Fourth, focusing while driving; fifth, obeying traffic rules; sixth, avoiding drunk driving; and finally, drivers must know that they need to keep themselves and people on the road safe. Additionally, I believe that exposing teenagers to driver education at an earlier age would build in them the need to become safe drivers.

Doing these may be difficult; initially, it was for me, but it became more comfortable as time went on. After experiencing a car wreck, it took me a long to muster up the courage to get my permit because I was concerned about causing an accident. Later on, I realized the best way to prevent automobile accidents is to be a safe driver. Realizing that being a safe driver is an obligation and not a choice prompted me to want to be a better road user because driving is not a right; it is a given responsibility that should be protected.