Why Being an Educated Driver Makes Me a Safe Driver

Why Being an Educated Driver Makes Me a Safe Driver

Gabrielle Morales

One of my most vivid childhood memories is my sister’s car accident. She was sixteen-years-old at the time, and the passenger of a very nervous, reckless driver. That day the driver up crashing her car into and over the sensor of a traffic light. At first, my dad went, and my mom followed along with my younger sister and me once they confirmed she was okay. We had to stay in the car, but we could easily see the car in its now-crumpled form, the glass strewn across the street, and the flashing lights of the ambulances. The sirens helped but could not mask the noise of the Jaws of Life being used; at that exact moment, I decided I would always do everything I could to never have to see that again.

Seven years later, when I was old enough to get my permit, I immediately enrolled in Drivers Ed (which is required in Indiana). One component of the education was a series of different videos about distracted driving with an emphasis on texting and drinking. For me, the most impactful were the ones with real stories and people because they demonstrated the honest consequences of driving while ignorant. For me, that proved why drivers ed is so important because it teaches people to be more aware of themselves, other cars, and pedestrians while driving, and uptake in educated drivers should mean a decrease of people dying.

Furthermore, there are many steps to be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. Many car insurances companies have released rewards programs for safe driving, which limits distractions by incentive. If every state were to require all would-be drivers to attend courses before receiving a permit or license, it would ensure only people who passed are allowed to drive (which could remove reckless drivers altogether).

I always make sure I am clear-headed and have my seatbelt on whenever I drive because I could never handle the thought of hurting or killing someone else. I take driving as a serious responsibility, and I could not live with the guilt of being at fault for the death of another driver or one of my passengers. One thing I am going to start doing to ensure that I limit my distractions and guarantee safety for other drivers is putting my phone on Do Not Disturb mode before I leave. By doing so, I will not receive any notifications until I reach my destination, which will keep my eyes on the road and keep myself and others safe. In all, I never want to have an association in someone else’s head that I have for the driver that hurt my sister; I never want to be seen as reckless or nervous. My sister still has pain in her foot and back, eleven years later, and that is all the motivation I need to maintain my standard of driving educated and safely.