In the Driver’s Seat

The Driver Education Initiative Award: In the Driver’s Seat, is open to current high school and college students. You must submit an essay of no more than 500 words that answers the following questions: What is the importance of driver education in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving? What steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving? Have you ever had an experience of being in a car accident or have seen your friends or family members driving irresponsibly? What steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road?

Driver education teaches the rules of the road to new drivers. Driving is just a valuable skill that takes time to master. The more a person drives the more her or she can improve and correct some bad habits. Driver education also introduces future drivers to ideas and scenarios they’ve never thought about while driving. Knowing the dos and the don’ts of driving can prevent life threatening accidents. Others can also bring a bad driving habit to a driver’s attention. Recently while I was driving my mother brought something to my attention that I didn’t realize I was doing.

I believe there should be more officers hired specifically for watching traffic. While driving, I notice people unnecessary speeding and sometimes racing. The police are nowhere to be found and they often don’t;’t get caught. People who are impatient break the red light instead of yielding and stopping. Having cameras at red lights are great, however, sometimes action needs to be taken right then. Also when driving, people need to put their phones on silent, or they need to turn it off if they can’t help but look at it. It should also be required for every driver to have a first-aid kit, scissors, window breaker, and a pair of sunglasses.

Just in case of an emergency a first aid kit can be used to patch up and clean wounds until help arrives. Scissors can help cut someone out of their seatbelt just in case it locks. A window breaker can help free someone from a car if they are trapped inside, and are unable to open the door. The visors inside cars aren’t that helpful when the sun is directly in your face. I’ve caught myself wishing I had sunglasses on a regular basis.

I’ve been in one car accident before, and it was terrifying. I was asleep, and woke up to the car spinning out of control. My mom was driving, and had slid on some ice on the road. She was desperately trying to gain control of the car, and we ended up on top of a ditch. Everyone was unharmed and walked away without a scratch.

Early I stated my mother had brought up a bad habit of mine, while I was driving. She brought to my attention that I slightly keep turning the wheel while driving. I’ll try to drive more often so I can correct my habit. I’ll also purchase car safety equipment, when I get my own car. I will also tell my friends to get a window breaker for their vehicles and their parents vehicles. Recently there was flooding in my area, and it had gotten dark quickly. A driver that was coming from the direction we were going flashed their beams multiple times. It turns out up ahead the road was completely flooded; if that driver hadn’t flashed their beams we wouldn’t have known to slow down. I was always alert of drivers of known danger, when necessary.