This Message is Sponsored by my Drivers Ed Teacher

I
have had my license for about a year now. Am I the best driver? No,
not exactly, but I try
my
best and that is what matters. I am not reckless, I am not careless,
and I always pay attention. Eyes on the road, phone out of sight and
out of mind, always with my seatbelt on. These small habits come
naturally to me. You may just assume that these come naturally to
everyone. I can assure you, they do not. The reason I am so well
versed in car safety is because of my experience in drivers ed.

Sophomore
year, I sat in a classroom every afternoon to learn about road
safety. Personally, I found drivers ed to be one of the most
important classes that I had taken throughout my high school career.
This is because drivers ed saves lives.

During
our curriculum, we were educated on driving while under the
influence, the importance of wearing seatbelts, consequences of
speeding, and other extremely important elements of the road. Having
the next generation of drivers on the road educated in these areas is
crucial to saving lives in the future.

The
age in which we live is extremely digital. We all have our phones on
us at all times. This can be a major distraction for new and young
drivers. During drivers ed, we were taught the importance of
keeping your phone out of your hands and off of your mind. This was
to ensure the safest possible travel. We were shown videos of
accidents that had occurred due to driving while texting or talking
on the phone. The main message of these videos and this area of the
curriculum was to engrave into us that no call or text is worth
risking your life or anyone else’s.

Since
it has been a few years since I sat in drivers ed, more of the
covered topics become relevant. Of course being a senior in high
school, driving under the influence is significantly less relevant at
my age. However, it is still important to know before turning 21. We
were taught that tipsy driving and buzzed driving qualify as drunk
driving and consequences will prove this to be true. Driving while
under the influence does not have to be specific to alcoholic
intoxication. The term “under the influence” allows a range of
substance indulgence to be ingested. This includes any kind of drug,
hallucinogen, or anything behavior altering. We are taught this in
order to keep ourselves, other drivers, and all pedestrians safe.

Knowledge
in all of these categories can ensure a reduction in the death rate
in terms of vehicular manslaughter. Fortunately, neither I nor my
family members have been in a car accident. Regardless, I can
personally take more steps to become a safer driver by watching the
speed limit closely and ensuring the safety of those in my car.
Having a license means you can drive, but being a safe driver takes
effort.