Drivers ed: Important and Necessary

Isadora
De Alpino

Drivers
Education: Important and Necessary

The
importance of drivers ed in reducing the number of deaths as a
result of driving is major. When I was 16-years-old I went to driving
school and my driving teacher made sure we knew how important it is
to be a responsible driver in order to protect not only our own
lives, but the lives of others in the car with us. One thing he did
which impacted me greatly was show us a documentary on a family who
lost a loved one due to a man’s irresponsible driving. To see the
grief of a family due to a car accident showed me how important it is
to drive safe and my driving teacher did an amazing job showing us
that. He also applied safety into our driving lessons by making sure
we came to a full and gentle stop at stop signs and red lights,
checking our surroundings, and making sure we were fully aware of the
speed limit.

I
believe the steps that can be taken to reduce deaths related to
driving is doing what we can to make sure every time we drive, we are
being safe. One of these things is no texting or even having a cell
phone in hand while driving. Another is to never drive while being
under the influence of alcohol of any other substances that may
disrupt one’s focus on the road. Another is to be aware of your
surroundings like having a certain distance from other cars, driving
the speed limit, obeying signs on the road and paying attention to
pedestrians.

I
have been in car accidents, most of them was when I was a child, and
one of them we ended up going to the hospital being we had small
cuts/to check if our health both physically and mentally were stable.
I have also seen friends/family drive irresponsibly. I’ve seen them
text and drive, drive faster than the speed limit, merge into lanes
without looking, and (on a rare occasion) drive without stopping at a
stop sign and/or red light. Whenever I experience being in a car with
someone who is driving irresponsibly it always makes me fear for my
life because I could see potential accidents happening due to their
irresponsible driving. This always incentivized me to be a better and
safer driver because I do not want someone who is in the car with me
to feel what I felt while I was in a car with those friends/family, I
want them to know that I value their lives. What I do to be a better
and safer driver is keep my eyes on the road at all times, pay
attention road signs and lights, be aware of pedestrians and my
surroundings. What I can do to help others is remind them to pay
attention to speed limits and other signs. Also remind them not to
check their phones while driving and not drive while under the
influence.