2021 Drivers Ed Essay Contest – Deniz Akturk

When I was in driver’s ed, my teacher would constantly warn and tell me that it’s not just my road to drive on. “Don’t forget to put your blinker on, watch out for the other cars since we don’t know how good of a driver they are.” It makes sense, however, there are still many people who don’t know how to drive a vehicle properly. Drivers’ education is often being overlooked since the majority of us need a vehicle to get around. People keep making the same mistakes shows us that we need to update our education system. In driver’s ed, they mainly focus on how to drive, but they fail to stress what to look out for. Imagine someone crossing the street and getting hit by a car in the blink of an eye. Pedestrians’ lives depend on us, drivers. We should be taught to respect them even more. Nothing can replace a deceased human being.

Not only they should teach how to drive, but also to abide by the rules as a pedestrian. When my uncle was driving years ago, he came across this man in his forties. He was jaywalking and my uncle hit him. He was terrified, so he just kept driving but later that week, it was all over the news. He had to surrender himself and had to go to jail for a couple of months. Seeing that lifeless body scarred him to life that he didn’t even want to drive anymore.

Seatbelts save lives, but most of us underestimate how crucial they are while driving. Many deaths due to car crashes could’ve been avoided if everyone would put their seatbelt on. Something as simple as that is being dismissed even though everyone has to go through the written and road test. Drivers ed requires you to drive for a certain amount of time, fifteen to twenty minutes in general. But just because one can drive well for that long doesn’t mean they are ready to be on the road. Once you pass the driver’s ed and get your license, you are free to drive wherever you want. This should be regulated and more driving hours and practice should be mandatory for those who had just started driving. Speaking from personal experience, when I first started driving my parents would expect me to start driving on big roads and in traffic. However, I still wasn’t quite confident on the wheel as I had started driving two weeks before I got my license. Some parents teach their kids to drive at age fifteen, or some even younger. But for the rest, it’s whatever they can acquire during the driver’s education yet all these people are being evaluated the same which brings car accidents along with it.

I’ve learned a lot in driver’s ed, but it’s true that there are still many things I haven’t learned that I should have. Some things come with experience, no matter how many times you take the written test, you might not be able to figure those things out unless you practice. Driving is one of the most fun things to me, it’s soothing and helps me clear my mind. But I try to wait for a little more till I’m experienced enough to drive in actual traffic. I would not know what to do with myself if I hurt someone in any way. Not just pedestrians, there are also lots of animals and bikers that are being overlooked. Every time I get on the wheel, I keep in mind that it’s not all about us, car drivers. There are many factors we should consider when it comes to driving. I don’t litter or drive in zig zags to distract others.

Anyone can get a license but driving comes with a huge responsibility. When I first started driving, my teacher asked my mom if she wanted to ride with us. She had no faith in me and thought I’d hit something right away. Fifteen minutes into driver’s ed, I proved them wrong. Some of my friends are reckless drivers and they don’t pay attention to the road. Many people in my family wrecked their cars and hit something at least once in their life. I might have kids someday and I want them to be safe when they ride with me. Driving is like teamwork, everyone should do their part in order to keep a safe environment. I know I’m not a driver’s ed teacher but I know what not to do while driving. I want to break the chain and be the most cautious driver in my family.