Drivers ed Never Stops

Nestled in the backseat of my dad’s sleek black car, I sat fatigued as my parents talked with the police officers outside on the damp street. As I sat slumped, with my cheek pressed against the window, I wondered why we were still parked on the side of the road. Even with my young, optimistic state of mind, I could tell that an unfortunate circumstance had occurred. I was a child, so naturally I had always thought my parents were responsible drivers. Therefore, I was confused as to how anything could happen to them while driving. What I didn’t understand is that we cannot control the actions of other drivers who choose to drive irresponsibly. Instead, we must prepare ourselves for situations in which we are put in danger by other drivers, and decide how we will react to them.

Most new drivers, being the brash, over confident teenagers they are, will assume they know everything when it comes to driving after their nine months of practice. However, driving isn’t a task that you master during that short period of time. As teenagers start driving, they will constantly improve and practice safe driving habits. Through these experiences, they will gain insight on how to react when irresponsible drivers are around. Occasionally, when I am driving with my dad, he will create scenarios to test how I would react as the driver. Even though I dread answering these questions, these scenarios have contributed towards my ability as a more prepared and aware driver.

Due to the significance of their effect on me, I feel that these scenarios would have a positive effect on other new drivers if they were part of the drivers ed curriculum. Teen drivers should be taught the basic rules of the road and how to navigate it safely and intelligently in order to become more responsible drivers. According to a 2015 study from the Nebraska Prevention Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse, teenagers who learn to drive without taking a drivers ed course are 75% more likely to get a traffic ticket and 24% more likely to sustain an injury or die in a car crash. It has been proven that taking a drivers ed course positively impacts the quality of teenager’s driving. New drivers must learn the weight of the responsibility of driving a motor vehicle before they earn their license. Simply asking students, “What would you do if you are driving on a one lane road and a car coming from the other way suddenly swerves into your lane?” gives them the opportunity to think and problem solve for themselves. Preparing them to think quickly and resourcefully will ultimately be what can save lives in the end.

Teenagers should be taught not to be arrogant drivers. By being arrogant, you are being just as irresponsible a driver as someone who chooses to drive unsafely. Only by teaching kids effectively how to drive responsibly can we hope to expect better outcomes in the instance of an accident.