My View In The Driver’s Seat

My View In The Driver’s Seat

By Andrew Chase Tyndall

Driver’s education is essential in helping reduce the number of driving related deaths. Teenage drivers are one of the most at risk drivers to have deadly car accidents. Most teens that are just starting to drive have a carefree spirit and may have never been in a car accident in the past. The driver’s education brings awareness to the amount of attention and alertness needed before getting behind a wheel. Taking a driver’s education course and completing the requirements holds teenagers accountable for knowledge of roadway laws. The driver’s education course can also give teen drivers skills to recognize road signs and emphasizes safety on the roadways.

Steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving by reintegrating and reemphasizing the initial driver’s education received. Another essential part of driver education would be to incorporate a part on defensive driving. This will provide the teenager with additional skills to recognize potentially dangerous situations when other drivers may be at fault. This will help an inexperienced driver to be knowledgeable about what to do in extreme weather, or what how to handle the vehicle if the brakes lock up while you are driving. At times even the best driver on the road will get into an accident, so the sooner you learn the defensive driving techniques the better off you will be.

I have been in an accident already within six months of getting my license. I hit a deer in the road when traveling to seminary one morning. It was scary, however I had a few defensive driving skills which allowed me to not run off the road. The deer did cause significant damage to my car, however if I had panicked in that situation the outcome may have resulted in an injury for my brother and I. I have had friends who have been faced with the same situation and because they panicked the car flipped and was totaled causing injuries to the driver and passenger. I would not say that situation was driving irresponsibly, that was an unavoidable occurrence. There have been several people at my school that have had accidents due to texting and driving or being distracted. There is one accident that happened at the beginning of the year where my father was the passenger in a vehicle with an intoxicated person. The vehicle hit a tree and my father was injured, thankfully not life threatening injuries. This is why I believe a course in driver’s education should be required throughout your driving career to reinforce the importance of safety on the roadways.

Some of the steps I personally can take to make sure I am a better driver is put my phone in the glove box until I get wherever I am going. I can keep the volume at a minimum so I can hear when other vehicles are blowing the horn to alert me. I can reduce the number of times I eat while driving because that is a multitasking activity that could cause a distraction. I can practice defensive driving by trying to be prepared for movements of other vehicles. I can be a safer driver by always wearing my seatbelt and utilizing my turn signals. I can make sure I am a safe driver by following road signs and adhering to the traffic laws. I can encourage others by setting a good example for those who ride with me.