The Importance of Drivers Ed

When I was a Sophomore in high school, Five boys in my grade were in an awful car accident. Two of the boys died because the driver thought it was smart to go 100 mph on a very curvy road after it had just rained. It was a small school, where everyone knew these boys so we took the loss very hard. I know that I personally have never been the same. After that day, I knew that road safety was a very big deal to me and I would take it very seriously. I have been in a rear ending accident as a passenger and was also hit by a car while driving a golf cart. No one was injured in the rear ending, but the golf cart incident left me scarred physically and emotionally.   When teens take courses like Drivers Ed, they are given first hand information about road rules and safety. They learn things such as road signs, traffic signals, right of way, turning safety, lane changing, and how enter and exit roadways. They are given time to practice so they have experience by the time they go to take their test which will ultimately decide whether or not they should be legal drivers. When they don't have a proper knowledge of how to drive and operate an automobile, then they are more likely to make mistakes that can be fatal.   I think teens should be given more ways to practice their driving in areas that are safer than real traffic situations.  That way, if they do make mistakes, they can learn to correct them while the stakes are not as high. I also think that the driver’s exams should be a bit more advanced than what they are currently. When I took mine, I knew I made a few mistakes and my instructor didn't even comment on them.  He talked the whole time about random subjects and then gave me a passing grade. If I had just been faking how good I was at driving just to pass, he would never know, and I would be road legal and a danger to not only myself, but those around me. My last thought on this question is that while we are still miners, we should have mandatory check ups on our road skills to see if we have improved, stayed the same, or gotten worse. I feel this could help keep younger drivers in line a little more.   Road safety is something I take very seriously today. Whether I’m a driver or a passenger, I take whatever means necessary to ensure the safety of those in the car with me, as well as those in the cars around me. I could definitely work on my speed and my awareness. Most of the time, both of those things are in check. But there are times when I let myself slip. I will always do my best to do what is right for everyone on the road.