One Moment, Endless Impact

Erin Watne

Driver Education Essay

“One Moment, Endless Impact”

After a long, but fulfilling day of volunteering at a local food shelf, my friends and I prepared for the trip home. We stopped at a nearby gas station to refuel the car, and we grabbed some hot chocolate to balance out the cold weather. Once we all were back inside of the vehicle, my friend started the car and we took off. Cruising down the highway, we talked about our eventful day. The roads were fairly empty, but I noticed a small car waiting to turn into the lane beside us. In an instant, the vehicle sped across the first lane, straight into ours. The driver didn’t stop until she had already plowed into our car. Shocked, we pulled over to the side of the road safely and carefully. The other driver also went to the edge of the road to talk to us. She was an older woman, so we assumed she would know how to handle the situation. Instead, she halfheartedly approached our vehicle saying, “Well, what do we do now?” 

Driver education is critical in answering that key question, but it also works to prevent it from being asked. In my unfortunate situation, my friend drove in a cautious and careful manner, but an accident still occurred. Preparing future drivers to prevent accidents is only part of teaching them the rules of the road. They must also be taught what to do and how to react if trouble does arise. The person who hit my friend’s car looked both ways before turning, but she turned into the wrong lane. Accidents of this nature can be prevented with informative education and training. Drivers Education is more than just a voice in the back of your mind telling you to look both ways. It guides you in learning the basics of driving, the patterns of other drivers, dangers and cautions, and how to be safe and successful no matter where you are driving. 

In the accident I described, no one was injured, and no one died. However, that result could’ve been very different if the friend driving our vehicle was not a smart driver. Had no one in the car been wearing a seatbelt, all of us would endure some sort of physical injury. In addition, if the driver of our vehicle wasn’t paying any attention to the road for whatever reason (perhaps to mess with the radio) she would react in a much more abrupt, manic way. Driver education prevents students from causing accidents, reduces the impact of accidents, and gives insight into the dangers and aftermath that poor driving skills create. To create safer roadways, there are many precautionary steps that new drivers should take. First of all, choose a responsible adult to observe and learn from. Second, take time to practice basic driving maneuvers, such as blinkers and windshield wipers, in a safe parked location. Finally, study for the safety of others, and not to pass a test. Lives are at stake, not your grades. Let my story be a reminder that even when you do everything according to the rules, you can’t rely on others to do the same. Practice, be mindful of your surroundings, and do your part to make the world a safer place.