The Road of Knowledge and Life Lessons

Kaylen Teves

30 November 2020

The Road of Knowledge and Life Lessons

The moment of receiving a driver’s license is one of the most significant milestones in life. Some people may already be eager to travel without the need to ask someone to drive for them, whereas others may still feel anxious about the possible dangers that could arise on the road. For me, even when it has been over a year since I got my driver’s license, I have much more to learn about the road than what driver’s education has taught me. Whenever I drive, I usually take the longer route to get to my destinations. Though, one day, I felt that perhaps it would be practical to drive on the freeway in order to gain some flexibility and familiarity with the roads my family always drive around. During this day, I was driving my way home, and I felt pretty proud of myself that I managed to take the exit and get on the freeway without any problems. Suddenly, an SUV from the merging lane was about to enter my lane. I tried to slow down for it, but there was not enough space for me to let it go ahead. Right when we were at an equal distance from each other, the SUV suddenly tried to switch to my lane to the point where I thought my space cushion was no longer there. My heart was racing, and I panicked as it got closer. Without thinking, I turned my steering wheel towards the left to try and let the SUV through. At this point, I was in the middle of the two lanes, and I thought for sure that an accident would occur when I heard a honk coming from the left lane. Immediately after the incident, a small, white car sped through the lane—considerably faster than the 65 mile per hour speed limit. I quickly maneuvered my car’s wheels back to the right lane. My car rocked from the force of my steering. Fortunately, there were no injuries nor were there damages to any of the cars involved. However, this memory haunts me into making me doubt my abilities of driving independently. I always questioned if I am better off having my parents come with me whenever I drive, if I would ever be able to be a good, defensive driver, and if I would ever get used to the roads like my older relatives and my friends. Whether I am driving or residing as a passenger, I always notice other drivers performing dangerous acts such as weaving on the freeway, texting while driving, and a lot of tailgating. Usually, these behaviors would be associated with teenagers, but I realize that these acts are done by adults as well. It seems that both new and experienced drivers undermine the significance of precautionary practices that can easily prevent the risk of injury or death. Regardless of the amount of experience, all drivers should consider reviewing their state’s driver handbook—or look for information provided by a driver’s education program—and associate them as life lessons in order to keep other people on the road safe as well as to become better citizens.

Despite driving customs set all across the United States, the influence of distracted driving has been an ongoing concern among the roads. In the article, “The Dangers of Driving While Distracted,” the author, Greg Gardner describes the correlation between smartphones usage and the accidents it causes for both the driver and the parties involved including the incident with Moriah Modisette—a five-year-old girl who passed away on Christmas Eve of 2014 when a driver, Garrett Wilehelm, crashed into her family’s car while he was using the FaceTime app. A survey was conducted by Consumer Reports in 2017 in regards to how often drivers are distracted, and according to the organization, “52 percent admitted to engaging in distracting activities while driving.” While it is tempting to pick up the phone and engage with it for a while, it is extremely dangerous and irresponsible to multitask and perceive that nothing bad would happen. By practicing the guidelines made for using devices on the road, drivers would be more alert with their surroundings and take their lives, as well as other peoples’ lives, more seriously.

Whether it occurs on the freeway, on an intersection, or on residential areas, there is always a chance that a driver will encounter someone driving recklessly or even be a reckless driver. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that reckless driving often occurs with teenagers with a wide variety of factors. For instance, a 2016-2018 study by the National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS), “indicate that seat belt use among teens and young adults (16–24 years of age) was approximately 87% each year, whereas seat belt use among adults (25 years of age or older) was 90% or higher for each year during the same period (qtd. in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).” It is reasonable to contemplate the amount of experience teenage drivers have compared to adults, but what is not acceptable is the lack of respect concerning safety if both groups demonstrate reckless driving. No one is entitled to drive on the roads however they want—other drivers that are present also have to share these roads. If apathy and the absence of applying what is learned in driver’s education is induced, drivers would most likely face deadly consequences that may never allow them to recover.

Valuing driver’s education and taking this knowledge as life lessons would decrease the chances of accidents on the road and improve the status of citizens alike. Reducing the usage of smartphones and other activities that disrupt concentration would show the driver’s thoughtfulness of others, but if misdemeanors continue to occur regardless of the age group, the driver would be held responsible for something serious that may never allow them to redeem themselves. Driving is a life-long learning experience, and even if the lessons and guidelines provided in classes, programs, and books do not fully show the reality of what is happening on the road, they are essential aspects of representing dignified and resilient drivers.

Works Cited

Gardner, Greg. “The Dangers of Driving While Distracted.” Consumer Reports, 16 Nov. 2017, www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/dangers-of-driving-while-distracted/.

“Teen Drivers: Get the Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 Nov. 2020, www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html.

Receiving a driver’s license is typically seen as a positive achievement, but it also opens the new driver to an environment full of unsafe and unnerving conditions. Even if I had my license for over a year, there is much more to be learned about the road than what driver’s education can provide. Teenagers are typically perceived as irresponsible drivers, but adults are also prone to demonstrating such actions. It seems that most drivers do not consider the lessons that assisted them to get to the point of driving in the first place. Regardless of the age group drivers are in, they all should consider associating driver’s education as life lessons to increase the safety on the roads and to model themselves as good and responsible citizens.