A lot to Learn

While in school, I have taken many accelerated classes and would never settle for less than an A on my report card. So when it came to driving I thought, well it couldn’t be that hard. I’ve watched people do it my whole life. It turns out it was a lot harder than I thought.

Before my temporary permit test, I read and studied the book front to back determined to pass on the first try. When I passed, I was looking forward to finally getting to feel what it was like to drive. My parents took me to my old middle school parking lot which is known for being a great spot to teach driving skills to someone who has never been behind the wheel. It had several stop signs, two access points to the main road, and a perfect loop around the school to be able to practice driving for hours. The second we got there, I was filled with excitement. I hopped in the front seat, put on my seat belt, adjusted my seat and mirrors, finally ready to turn on the car. I put my foot on the brake, pushed in the start button, and took the car out of park. My parents told me to slowly take my foot off the brake, but did I listen? No. I thought I knew everything I needed to know about driving from taking my temporary permit test. The car started rolling and I started freaking out. I had no idea that the car would move when my foot was lifted off the brake. Wow, did I have a lot to learn!

Driver’s education is looked at by many as another task that needs to be completed in order to finally have the freedom of having a driver’s license. Although driver’s education may seem like a waste of time and energy to a teenager who just wants to be able to go on late night fast food runs, it taught me many things that I would’ve never known, many things that should be understood completely before a driver’s license is even considered.

Driver’s education plays an important role in reducing the number of driving-related deaths. When I was taking classes, the number one thing taught was how to be a defensive driver. Being a defensive driver means that you are constantly looking at and observing your surroundings and people around you. This kind of mindset while driving is a very important one to have, and I’m sure it has saved many lives. Another way that driver’s education has saved lives is by constantly stressing the importance of paying attention. According to teendriversource.org, the overwhelming majority (75%) of serious teen driver crashes are due to “critical errors,” with the three common errors accounting for nearly half of these crashes: lack of scanning that is needed to detect and respond to hazards, going too fast for road conditions, and being distracted by something inside or outside of the vehicle.

Several steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. First, no matter what age, everyone should have to pass a temporary permit test before being allowed to be behind the wheel. Also, the amount of hours of driving before the driver’s license test should be 60 hours of daytime driving and 20 hours of nighttime driving. If the amount of distracted drivers decreased significantly, then the number of deaths related to driving would decrease as well. It should be strongly emphasized nationwide about the importance of being fully awake and aware while driving.

Recently, I was in the passenger seat of my friend’s car on a dark and rainy night. We were crossing an intersection that we have both crossed many times before with no problems, yet this time a car started to turn left into us while we were going straight. Luckily, my friend used her defensive driving skills that she learned in drivers education to avoid a collision.

Steps that I can take to be a better and safer driver include not being distracted by a phone or loud music. I understand that whenever I get behind the wheel of a car that not only my life is in my hands, but the people around me as well. The cars around me are trusting that I will follow the rules of the road, and I am putting trust in them. But, I know that not all people see driving the way that I do, so I know to always pay attention like my driver’s education teachers taught me, and use my defensive driving skills. I can help others become safer on the road by spreading the way that I think when I am driving. If I am a passenger in a car, I will be in charge of the directions if they are needed so that my friends aren’t looking down at their phones. I will not distract the driver and I have no problem telling other people to quiet down.

Driver’s education taught me a lot of important driving skills that I think could save lives if people actually listen and apply what is being taught. I believe that everyone needs to be well educated on the rules of the road no matter what age or how much they think they know about driving. Obviously, I had a lot to learn when it came to driving and I am continuing to learn as I gain more experience driving, but the things I was taught in driver’s education provided me with a great foundation to be a safe driver who understands the responsibilities of driving.