We Know What is Safe, Don’t We?

Imagine a kitchen full of toddlers, all holding sharp knives and running around near pots of boiling water. Add to that a floor covered in banana peels, and a few open bottles of toxic chemicals. Sounds insane, right? Most likely, no one in their right mind would let that happen in their home. Yet, that scenario, even if it was happening in every house in your neighborhood, would result in fewer injuries than we see on our roadways each day before lunch time. Kids are taught to be careful with sharp objects, to stay away from hot stoves, we even learn by watching silly cartoons that banana peels on the floor can be dangerous, so why would anyone not consider driver education an important component of being and staying safe?

No one wants to lose a loved one, and no one wants to answer the phone and hear “I’ve been in an accident” on the other end. Life is valuable and should never be cut short, especially when it can be prevented. Driver education is a necessary and important step to ensure that all people, drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, continue to live long and safe lives. One way to ensure that every licensed driver plays their part in reducing driving-related fatalities and injuries is to mandate and provide driver education in the schools. Many current adults remember having programs in school, but unfortunately, these programs have been cut and/or are outsourced and cost additional money for families, therefore, making it less accessible. Local DMVs require supervised driving hours to be logged on an app, but unfortunately the supervisor might not be a safe driver themselves, therefore teaching unsafe driving techniques. This is a step, but more structured, safety- focused education would be a better one.

Everyday, there is some sort of accident on the roadways in my city. In a large, metropolitan city like Las Vegas, with over 2 million people, the roads are congested and often dangerous. I see everything from fender benders to major fatal accidents weekly. My aunt was actually in a major accident, which was not her fault, when a speeding driver side swiped her, completely totaling her car. Luckily, she was not badly injured, but we easily could have been one of the many families that unnecessarily loses a person they love to erratic and unsafe driving. Driving to work should not be considered risky behavior, and no one should be fearful that running to the store for milk could cost them their life. Unfortunately, many see driving as something that requires only a portion of their attention. Putting make-up on, eating hamburgers, making phone calls, all seem to be something that people think is easy to multitask while driving a 3,000 lb vehicle. Imagine if all of those multitasking drivers would have had access to a comprehensive driver education program before they were ever granted a license. Imagine if they knew inside and out the dangers and the responsibilities that come with driving. Maybe then, the hamburgers and the texts could wait.

I never want to be responsible for causing another person or another family pain in the way of injuring or taking away someone they love. Most people feel the same as I do. They would never inadvertently cause bodily harm to another person, but sometimes they don’t see that by driving while distracted or driving under the influence, they are on the path to doing just that. We could all play a part in ensuring that no one’s life is cut short in a preventable accident. Driver education is an easy and important way to put an end to or at least reduce the 34,000+ deaths per year caused by driving. Driving should be a privilege not a license to engage in risky and life threatening behaviors.

I propose that all high schools provide a mandatory and comprehensive driver’s education program. All students should take it as part of their graduation requirements, to ensure that they have had, and passed a course on sage driving. Additionally, funding should be made available to all schools to provide this much needed program. No school should have to choose whether or not to teach students about this important topic due to budget issues. Lastly, I would suggest that all drivers who are cited for unsafe driving practices be required to attend a drivers safety class before being able to return to the roads. My life, and the lives of others are all worth the cost of driver’s education.