The Value of Driver’s Education

In the United States alone, more than 32,000 people are killed in motor vehicle accidents each year. That’s 32,000 families without a mother or father. That’s 32,000 families missing their young son or daughter. That’s over 32,000 lives lost in a tragic accident that could have been prevented with the proper knowledge. That’s 32,000 reasons why driver’s education is important.

One of the leading causes of death of young people is motor vehicle accidents. This is because young people lack the knowledge and experience that comes with their new found freedom. When young people start driving, many of them do not truly understand the complexity of it. Driving requires your undivided attention. It is not only your responsibility to keep track of what you are doing, but to also pay attention to the cars around you as well. With driver’s education, young operators will not only learn the basic skills needed to pass the test, but they will also learn the skills necessary to help prevent any serious accidents.

One of the basic principles taught in driver’s education is defensive driving. Defensive driving is defined as driving in a way that utilizes safe driving methods to help drivers identify potential hazards and prevent accidents. By identifying these hazards, drivers are able to plan their actions and make safe, well informed decisions. They can take appropriate measures and ensure the safety of all. Although there are many potential factors that can result in an accident, some of these factors can be controlled by the driver. For example, a diver can control their psychological state when driving. On the roadway, drivers may experience many different emotions. They may feel anger, stress, or fatigue. By learning how to overcome these emotions, drivers can decrease their chances of an accident. Another factor that can be controlled by drivers is their level of intoxication. Driving under the influence is never a good idea. It has killed thousands of Americans over the years. Some of these victims were not even intoxicated themselves. They were killed by other drivers who were under the influence. By understanding the impact that drugs and alcohol have on your driving, and the consequences driving under the influence has on all drivers on the road, these types of tragedies may be less likely. One of the most important principles that defensive driving teaches is how to avoid crashes. By taking a defensive driving course, you will learn several types of crash prevention techniques. Some of these techniques include scanning the road, adapting to your surroundings, applying the two second following rule, and making speed adjustments. By learning how to accommodate for other drivers and environmental factors, the chances of a fatal accident are much less likely.

I am one of the lucky ones that can say that they have never been in a motor vehicle accident. However, I have experienced a few close calls in my life, and have had a few friends who lost their lives because they were driving irresponsibly. In the short amount of time that I have been driving, I have had quite a few close calls. There have been a few times where I was crossing an intersection and have almost been hit by a car. I almost lost my life just because I wasn’t paying close attention to my surroundings. Sadly, I know of many people who are not as lucky as me. They were not able to escape their fates. Last February, there was an accident around the block from my house. A car with two of my classmates was speeding down the road. As my classmates were coming over a knoll, they saw that there was a car crossing the intersection ahead. In an attempt to save themselves, they slammed on the breaks, but they were too late. They hit the car crossing the intersection. As a result, two people lost their lives. At the time of the accident, my dad was on his way home from work. When we heard about the accident, we realized that if my dad had left work just ten minutes earlier, he could have been a victim in this fatal accident. Those ten minutes saved my dad from death. Those ten minutes made us stop and think about how lucky we were.

No matter how good of a driver we think we are, there is always room to improve. There are many things that we can do in order to improve our driving habits, but perhaps the most beneficial thing we can do is enroll in a driver’s education class. By enrolling in one of these classes, you will learn about all the steps that you can take to become a better driver. You will learn the importance of staying alert, keeping your distance from other cars, wearing your seatbelt, following the speed limit, and accommodating for environmental conditions. Most importantly, you will learn how to trust yourself on the road while watching out for others.

Driver’s education can be such a valuable tool if it is used correctly. By putting what we have learned from driver’s education into practice, we can all benefit. We don’t have to lose another classmate or friend to a car accident. We can help prevent tragedies like these by putting what we have learned into practice. The last thing that we want is another fatality on our hands. If you want to help prevent the loss of another life, I would suggest that you too get a driver’s education.