Be Smart, Drive Safe

Car accidents are preventable, ninety-six percent of all road accidents occur simply because of human error. Only a small percentage of these accidents are fatal, however, this still equates to tens of thousands of deaths a year. It is absolutely vital that something be done to bring these numbers down. Driver’s education is the best way to do so; it can provide training for new and existing drivers to help keep them safe. It allows drivers to learn the importance of being careful and the consequences otherwise. With more and more people dying every year due to road accidents, driver’s education has become more important than ever.

Driver’s education has a large role in bringing down the number of fatal road accidents that occur every year. It can do so through teaching drivers how to make sure they are driving as safely as possible. Teaching drivers to buckle their seatbelt, use their blinkers, stay within the speed limit, keep safe in bad weather conditions, and monitor the wear of their tires are all ways that driver’s education can aid drivers. It can also deal with problems outside the standard dangers and problems of driving by addressing issues like distracted driving. Distracted driving is more often the cause of automobile accidents than both speeding and drunk driving. By educating drivers on this surprising statistic and further showing them that those getting in accidents are not “some other person,” that it can be them, will be enough to get many to drive more carefully. Having a role in bringing these matters to drivers’ attention is a large part of the value in taking a driver’s education course.

There are many steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. I believe it begins with knowing how to drive carefully. Understanding practices such as monitoring blind spots, using turning signals, and keeping a proper distance between cars will make sure everyone on the road is a capable driver. Next, distracted driving must be addressed. I would recommend not only teaching drivers about this subject but asking them to write an essay similar to this one. I never knew the scope of the problem until I began to write this essay myself. By having anyone earning their permit/license write such an essay, driver’s education can help solidify the learners’ knowledge on the subject. This makes the issue that much more serious and real in their minds.

Many people have experience with bad drivers, for the most part I’ve only dealt with good drivers. My parents were always mindful of the fact that their children’s lives were in the car. They always drove carefully and told us to do the same. “You don’t want to be responsible for taking someone’s life,” they would always remind me. Even now as an adult my mother still tells me to be careful before I drive anywhere. However, there was one time I was in the car with a horrible driver. The driver was actually a friend who lives in Pennsylvania. I was visiting my uncle at the time, and my friend offered to drive me from the mall back home. We took the highway back, moving at very high speeds. That would have been fine except he was on his phone most of the time, instead of watching the road. It should be noted that he does not drive a self-driving Tesla. Our car was drifting in and out of the lane and there was loud music blaring from the speakers. I have to say I was terrified; I could hardly breathe. He noticed and told me it was all right, he always drives like this and has never got in an accident. I didn’t say anything, but I was thinking that it only takes one accident for your life to change drastically. We could have both ended up in wheelchairs that day but somehow, thankfully, we made it home in one piece. I talked to him about his driving after we stopped. He listened and told me he would be more careful from then on. I hope he has kept to his word; he lives in another state, and I haven’t seen him since that time. He still seems in good health so hopefully he has taken my advice to heart and drives safely. For me, both my good and bad experiences with other drivers serves to prove one thing: we will always listen to those close to us. That is why I would recommend driver’s education not only focus on helping the driver in the program itself but getting them to share their knowledge with those close to them too.

We all need to work on becoming better and safer drivers on the road. We can start by taking online drivers’ education courses if ever we feel we need to refresh our knowledge. They are easy, convenient, and full of valuable information. We can also discuss the topic with friends and family, they can tell you the different things they do to help keep safe and you can do the same. Some helpful tips I have heard include: “don’t pick up your phone at a red light, there’s too much of a chance you will still use it when the light turns green.” I’ve also been told to “keep your air conditioning cold whenever you can, it will keep you sharp and focused.” And my personal favorite “Never think you’re an expert, you’re not. Even if you are, keep your eyes open for other “experts.” All these things can help us become better drivers, but it all starts with investing in our own knowledge and selves. Driver’s education has an important role in driver safety, helping us to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.