The Importance of a Driver’s Education

The Importance of a Driver’s Education

It is no secret that one of the biggest causes of death among the teenage population is car crashes. Teenagers have the tendency to show off to their friends, and that tendency is exemplified when they drive. This tendency can lead to all sorts of incidents ranging from a small crash to a life-threatening crash. Learning to drive is a right of passage for a teenager, but what many fail to grasp is how dangerous driving actually is. You can take your eyes off of the road for just one second and next thing you know you end up wrecking your car and possibly hurting someone besides yourself in the process. Learning to drive is a fundamental element needed in today’s society, but without proper instruction it can lead to deaths, and life-altering injuries. 

Proper education plays an important role in driving, without it the risks of death are very high. One of the steps in reducing the number of deaths related to driving is getting a proper education. Whether that be lessons with a driving instructor, or completing an online course. With age comes memory loss, and one way to combat people forgetting the rules of the road is taking an online refresher course about the rules of the road. The more knowledge a person has about the road, the less likely they are to make fatal mistakes. It is a proven fact that the more someone practices driving the less likely they are to make mistakes while driving. 

In October of 2019, I was on my way home from school when my car was hit head on by a woman who was on her cell phone. I remember making a left turn and then seeing her car racing down the street, but it was too late, the impact made my car spin and the airbags deploy. I remember looking at another man in his car asking me if I was all right, but I was screaming due to the shock. I looked down at the airbag when all of the sudden three people swarmed my car to help me out. My nose began bleeding due to the impact of the airbag. I could tell almost instantly that my car was totaled. When the paramedics and fire department showed up they took me to the ambulance to get checked out. I had noticed that the woman’s car was totaled as well, and I later found out she had been on her phone when she ran the red light that caused her to hit and almost kill me. I was very fortunate because I had a sprained (and badly bruised) knee, a concussion, and a couple of scratches on my head. 

The car crash still impacts me to this day. I had to get a new car, which put my family in a tight financial spot, and received very bad anxiety while I drive. I now tend to always look even more when I drive and remain extra cautious. I never used my phone while driving before my car accident, and I never will because I know what it can do to a person if they were to be in a bad accident. I am thankful everyday that I was relatively unharmed, but I know it could have been worse. 

What I can do to help others be safe on the road is share my story, especially with my friends who are now driving. The personal connection I have with them and the pictures I share tend to make them rethink using their phone while driving. By sharing my story I allow others to think about how their possible actions can affect others and themselves as well. I think it is important for people to know what their actions can not only do to themselves, but others as well. Some of the steps I can take to become a better driver is to refresh my knowledge of road signs by reviewing the drivers handbook. I can also be aware of my surroundings while driving and aware of what others are doing when driving. 

Driving can be seen as freedom for young teenagers, and while driving is fun and exciting, without the proper education it is very dangerous not only to yourself, but others as well. I know first-hand how dangerous it is because it only took a woman to look at her phone for a couple seconds to change my life forever. Through sharing my personal experience, I can hopefully allow others to see the impacts their actions can have on others. With the proper education and practice, driving can be a breeze for some people. There is no shame in needing extra practice, or extra help in learning how to drive, everyone has a different timetable.