Driver’s Safety: Straight From the Classroom

Driver’s Safety: Straight from the Classroom

Driving, it’s the way people get around in today’s world. Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, most people are driving every single day. However, people need to be safe while on the road, otherwise they could get into a car accident. The worst that has ever happened to me is driving into a ditch and breaking an axel on my Trailblazer, but it can get much worse. My aunt was involved in a drinking and driving incident that temporarily paralyzed her. I might not have seen her driving at the time but hearing about it was more than enough. She was lucky to survive the crash. It could’ve been much worse for her as car accidents can cause permanent damage, including death.

Car accidents are memorable for the worst reasons. While they hold a lasting impact on those involved, there are ways to avoid them. Remain alert while driving, keep your eyes on the road, be aware of the road’s condition, and watch your surroundings when you need to make a lane change or pull over. If something impairs your alertness, like drunkenness, sleepiness, or a physical distraction, get away from it if you can. If you can’t, then get a friend to drive you, or don’t drive at all. If you don’t have such an impairment, you should be fine while driving, but don’t speed or tailgate. If an abrupt stop is needed and you don’t have enough distance, you’re going to crash. If a crash is inevitable, it’s best to sideswipe rather than go head-on as a head-on collision will cause more damage. I’ve been using these practices whenever I drive and I have yet to harm anyone through them, so if everyone follows suit, we can make the roads a safer place.

These tips should be familiar to everyone as they’re straight from a drivers ed class. These classes serve as the foundation of safety for those new to driving. These vehicle novices have little to no experience on vehicle operation and are liabilities on the road unless taught the rules of the road. It’s hard to imagine where else these teachings could be gained safely other than an organized classroom setting built to provide education. Students at the age of sixteen for example have many distractions among peers, school obligations, and family life. A good drivers ed course doesn’t just prepare students for independent driving, but general independence as well. The driver’s licenses at the end of the education serve a legal requirement for driving and the difference between the qualified and the unqualified. We owe it to these courses for giving us an idea for what it means to be safe on the road. If they didn’t exist, driving would be different from what it is today.