the importance of highway and drivers education essay

As a licensed driver I have always found the importance and do my very best to be as attentive and have as much situational awareness as I can anytime, I step into my car. Road safety has always been a top priority to me, not just for my own safety but the safety of those around me. This month alone I have seen at least 2 accidents on the street.

The elegant E learning network, a company dedicated to online learning and road safety, has partnered with the DMV to collect credible statistics on the driving demographics and road statistics of 2021. And based on my research of their data I have found that every year an estimated 1.3 million people die in a car accident which is roughly 3,287 people every day. In crashes of large trucks in 2018, 4,136 people were killed. 16% of these deaths were truck occupants, 67% were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles, and 15% were pedestrians, bicyclists, or motorcyclists. (IIHS, 2019) And more shockingly it was also revealed by the university of Nebraska Lincoln that 75% of young driver are more likely to receive a traffic ticket due to a lack of driver’s education and an estimated 24% or more at risk of being in a fatal motor vehicle accident or have a fatal injury as a result of not having a proper driver’s education.

But yet at the same time drivers who do educate themselves on proper drivers’ education have a significantly higher rate of safety and lessen their chances of being in an accident fatal or otherwise, and their chances of not being in a car accident increases by an impressive percentage (varies depending on age, gender, driving experience, etc.)

Most of these accidents, and injuries that happen can sometimes be the difference between a fatal accident, and a safe journey from point A to point B just by taking a proper drivers education course and educating yourself on road safety knowledge.

Many people believe that going to an expensive private drivers ed school is the only way to get accredited knowledge and valuable information on how to drive but that’s actually far from the truth. I myself did not attend a driving school but instead studied the official DMV handbook and driver’s manual. There are also many free practice driving exams on the ADOT website, driving signs, flashcards, and many other free incredible resources available to any and every one! And just by simply taking a couple hours of your day to review these resources and follow them, you’ll significantly decrease your chances of being in an accident due to lack of road safety and drivers’ education.

Just by doing something as reading the official driver’s manual, taking official online practice exams, and just using the endless extensive tools available in libraries, and online, you can heighten your chances of road safety, not just for you but for the people around you as well. Road safety is an incredible and imperative part of protecting yourself and those around you from having an accident. I cannot stress the importance and the lives saved just by taking a very simple online course, reading and reviewing the driver’s manual, or even riding with an experienced driver really makes all the difference. Driving is a very serious task that shouldn’t at all be taken lightly and requires all of your attention and focus, and every step you take towards that benefits your safety and well-being as well as for the other drivers around you.

I very unfortunately was in an accident myself. While I was driving, the car in front of me had stopped in the middle of an active traffic lane. They didn’t pull over, get in the median or were even in a stop light. Just right in the middle of the lane. I do drive a car that belongs to a family member. So, my car is used. I tried to brake as quickly and as hard as I could but I unfortunately ended up rear ending the car. I couldn’t swerve because there was traffic on both sides. And a line of 3 other cars got lined up behind me. The car in the middle of the lane drove off. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the situation was handled very responsibly. There is no guarantee that this accident happened due to lack of driving knowledge but I can only assume. I can’t think of any valid reason why someone would stop in the middle of active traffic. But I just want people to be as aware as possible and understand the importance of not just drivers’ safety but drivers’ knowledge.