Driver Education Initiative Award – Annual Scholarship Opportunity

Driver Education Initiative Award – Annual Scholarship Opportunity

Drivers Education is something that everyone must take to legally be able to drive. Not everyone understands the importance of this information as they don’t see how it could potentially save your life and the lives of others on the road. Drivers Education reduces the number of deaths as a result of driving because it teaches people road safety in big ideas such as: Road safety signs, proper speed, and getting rid of driving distractions. By paying attention to driver’s education, one will be able to handle the roads with more confidence and be a better driver as they will know what to do behind the wheel.

Personally, I have never been in a car accident and for that I am thankful. However, one of my close friends was hit during a drunk driving and became paralyzed. Drivers’ education is something to take extremely serious because even though she did not lose her life like many Americans do in these accidents, she’ll never be able to walk again. By being educated on the road’s accidents like the one my friend has been in should decrease significantly.

The best way to save lives and reduce the number of deaths by driving is to limit the distraction that drivers are faced with. Here, I will explain the common driving distractions I have experienced and provide solutions because if drivers limit these bad driving habits, then deaths by driving will decline rapidly.

Nearly everyone is guilty of some form of distracted driving. In fact, distracted drivers are almost everywhere you look, and I can admit I have been distracted while driving a few times. I am a nineteen-year-old double major (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) at the College of Wooster (Wooster, Ohio). As a teenage driver there are a number of factors that distract me from while I am driving that make the roads unsafe. The ever-growing issue of road distractions in my mind has to do with the expansion of technology and how invasive it has got into society.

The most common accidents in my generation and including me have happened because of checking or looking down at a phone. Personally, I have had this bad habit of checking my phone when it vibrates with a notification and distorting my eyes from the road. This is the most common distraction, and a main solution is what many suggest. Keep your phone in the glove box or a safe space away from you and only answer the phone using a hands-free link so you never have to drive with one hand (or knees) and your eyes can always stay on the road.

A more common issue I believe that is happening is that kids are learning these bad habits from parents/ adults. They see adults driving distracted and unsafe and because they don’t always cause an accident, kids are mimicking the habits and feeling safe before it’s too late. A step-by-step plan to solve this would be to broadcast a message to adults on how their bad driving habits can be reflected on their kids. By putting adds about safer driving on television channels such as news channels, awareness to adults could be more widespread and kids developing these distortions could potentially go away.

Another distraction that I have encountered is getting drowsy/ daydreaming. Specifically, during long drives on highways staying focused on the roads and those around me can be boring and make one loose awareness. With the more hours I drive and the darker it gets outside the drowsier I become. A way to make the roads safer all around would be to raise awareness to people, especially truck drivers, to pull over and find a safe place to park and rest for a minute.

We all have been in the situation where we are hungry on a road trip and go get some food. A key distraction while driving is trying to eat. Even though you might think you are saving time while eating food in the car while driving to school, work, or home, it isn’t worth the risk of your life and the lives of others around you. Simply by keep food in an area out of reach can prevent temptation and a simple solution to this distraction.

Other actions while driving is a huge distraction as well. Trying to multitask is not a safe or smart idea. People spend a lot of time in their cars but that does not mean it should be a place to get other stuff done by doing things such as calling friends and family or focusing on looks rather than the road.

Lastly, a huge distraction especially in young people’s lives are having too many passengers and too much activity. To be safer on the road you need to limit the number of passengers, as well as the level of activity inside the car. This is dangerous because driving with friends can create a dangerous environment due to novice drivers focused on their friends rather than the road. A keyway to solve this is establish a low number of riders and sound level so that nothing is distracting the driver.

Overall, there are many distractions that can cause unsafe problems on the road. However, if myself and others follow these simple solutions then we can make driving and this world a safer and better place. The roads will be safer and the number of deaths by driving will decline rapidly.

Thank you for considering me for this scholarship and I pray to win so I can continue my college education!

Thank you,

Kyle Stringer

Cell: 740-602-3626

Email: [email protected]