Look Twice, Save a Life Scholarship Essay

Driver’s education is vital for minors and saving the lives of not only people around them but their own lives as well. Educating minors on proper driving etiquette is an imperative process in order to reduce the number of deaths that can occur due to driving incidents. Accidents as such occur because of a lack of proper knowledge in driver’s education.

As aforementioned, driver’s ed is extremely important. Whether the classes are taken just to get a liscense or credit, it should be required as the information provided there is helpful and, quite literally, life saving. The more that a person knows about a topic, the better, so it is safe to say that someone who truly knows more on driving and the etiquette of driving will be very safe and responsible on the road.

If a person is more cautious and has better knowledge while on the road, they will definitely act in a safer manner than those who are more ignorant to the laws and proper knowhow on the road. For instance, if someone in driver’s ed learned the statistics and terrors of car accidents that occur when not paying attention, they would be a lot more cautious and alert when driving.

Someone who slept through driver’s ed may not have the same advantages as the person who paid attention, however. If that person was not paying attention, whether sleeping or playing on their phone, they genuinely will not recall any knowledge or road tips when driving, leaving that person as a road hazard themselves and contributing to the car accident statistics we as a society are trying to get rid of. A person with more information, caution, and awareness of the severity of the situation will do much better on the road and reduce how many deaths happen due to car accidents.

There are many steps that can be taken by drivers everywhere in order to reduce deaths on the road. As aforementioned, making sure those in class pay attention is very important to the process as that will help a person be more alert and careful on the road. The proper knowledge is a great step in the right direction to prevent deaths or accidents in general when on the road.

When driving, people need to avoid any sort of distraction that could impair their driving abilities. For example, at no time should someone be on their phone or any other device while they are driving. Even if using a GPS, the driver should wither just listen to it or have someone else in the car read the directions to them. Another common distraction people have when driving is alcohol or drugs. People who have had alcohol or drugs prior to when they planned to leave should not be behind the wheel as their reaction time is impaired. They also could get into an accident themselves if they pass out from alcohol behind the wheel and hit a tree.

Though I have not been in a vehicular accident, I have seen people around me drive poorly. For example, my dad tends to speed or stop abruptly when he drives because he is on his phone a lot, whether he is looking at sports or responding to a text. As a driver myself, and I believe that I am responsible while driving, I get extremely anxious when being in the car with my dad as he seems careless. Car crashes have always been a fear of mine, not because I do not think I can manage driving, but because other people play a major factor in what happens on the road and I could get into an accident without even being at fault.

One person cannot change the world, but that person can better the world around them. Even if I cannot convince others to be safe and not text and drive, I can take those precautions and pay attention for myself as well as the other person. As long as I am alert, if another person is not paying attention, I could still watch out so they do not hit me. For instance, if I am driving and someone is texting and pulls out right in front of me, as long as I am paying close attention, I will be able to slow down to avoid hitting them. It is easier said than done, but paying close attention on the road is the best step into lessening accidents around you.