HEADLINE

Drivers ed Initiative Award Scholarship

Tyshaun Clark

May 5^th, 2020

Imagine this headline: 17 year old girl was on Twitter seconds before Double Fatal Crash, ending in multiple casualties on Atlanta Highway. You may not hear of this type of senseless behavior frequently but it happens every day across all 50 states. Owning a car comes with great responsibility due to accidents related to it. Some are minor accidents, or violations that need to be paid from our hard earn money and some are worse, like death. Texting and driving is one of the many consequences due to lack of drivers ed.

According to obrella.com, teenagers who are 16-19 years old have the highest accident rate in the nation. In fact, this age group is about three times more likely to be in a fatal crash than those 20 and older. By completing a drivers ed course prior to obtaining one’s license, teenagers learn fundamental vehicle control and traffic maneuvers. It teaches students how to safely operate a vehicle on busy interstates, at night, and during other dangerous driving circumstances, such as checking your phone while driving.

By showing the importance of Drivers Ed in schools, teens like me will be better prepared to face the challenges that come with driving and the number of on-road deaths will surely be reduced. According to AAA, if teens take Drivers Ed, they can reduce their accident rate by 4.3% and cut down on getting ticketed by 40%. Most states aside from Alabama, Minnesota, and North Dakota require you to take some sort of drivers ed course before obtaining your license.  It is your responsibility as a driver to fully educate yourself and abide by the road rules. Road regulations will change from time to time so it is ideal to be updated and attend additional driving courses.

Even though I have not experienced being in a car accident, I have witnessed my mother texting and driving countless times. I continuously correct her about it and I always make sure she is aware of her surroundings while driving to prevent anything bad happening on the road. Whether it’s texting and driving or holding the steering wheel incorrectly, the way we see our parents drive also affects us teens. We pick up our parents’ bad habits on the road without even noticing it. By keeping parents up to date on the latest road regulations and problems on the road, they will be able to protect their children from dangers caused by road accidents.

Guardians need to teach teens the possible dangers and risks on the road and explain ways to keep them safe.

To become a more effective and safer driver, we must always respect the rules of the road. Think of the sorrows of our loved ones, the pain and suffering it would bring to them if we lost our life because of our involvement in a fatal accident. A headline is not something you want to become.