Drivers Ed For a Safer, More Considerate Society

1.3 Million. That’s how many people are killed on the road every single year; the number of families scarred permanently because of car accidents. If 1.3 million doesn’t seem like a huge number, consider this: it’s more than double the number of minutes in a year. Many of these road-related accidents are caused by young adults aged 15 to 29 – individuals who are capable of learning how to prevent such unfortunate incidents. Drivers ed is a great first step to putting a stop to these accidents. Educated drivers make educated choices, and this can significantly help put an end to driving related deaths.

Educating drivers doesn’t just mean telling them the rules of the road. It means informing them of potential dangers, preparing them to react to unexpected situations, and explaining that people make mistakes sometimes, which is okay if we know how to appropriately respond to them. Apart from driver’s Ed, we could individually promise to be aware of ourselves and others on the road. Simple steps like not texting, doing drugs, or taking drinks while driving can have a major impact on the number of deaths related to driving. Being aware of the vehicles, pedestrians, animals and buildings around us can prepare us to react accordingly in case anything goes wrong.

While my family, my friends and I follow the rules and drive responsibly, I have still been in a minor accident. It was during a thunderstorm on the interstate; thick fog and pouring sheets of rain paired with innumerable vehicles. A light hail had started, and suddenly, from out of nowhere, a deer came running out onto the road, clipping the front corner of our vehicle. My dad, who was driving at the time, reacted well, and while the vehicle had to undergo minor repairs, no one was hurt. While the story ended without complications, it was a lesson that driving isn’t about individually controlling a vehicle, but about being aware of all the external stimuli around you. Things will happen that you can’t control, but you can control the way you react – and that makes the difference.

Being a safe driver isn’t a skill – it’s a choice. A choice everyone can, and should, make. As I mentioned above, not texting, consuming drugs, or drinking while driving are great steps to becoming a safe driver. These are steps that I have followed and pledge to continue following in the future. Incentives that provide benefits for safe drivers, such as lower insurance premiums, are great ways to encourage our society to be safer. Educating new and experienced drivers every time a driver’s license is received or renewed can help keep people up to date. And finally, knowing that vehicle malfunctions, animal intrusions and human errors are unavoidable can make us more understanding and able to cope with potential accidents. Safe driving is an achievable, rewarding and free choice that we must make to help our society.