Driver Education and Safety

Leeana Goodmon

Driver Education and Safety

“I can’t wait till I get my license, so I can go anywhere I want when I want to.” That’s a common statement said by most approaching teens. Most youth long for freedom, and driving on their own is one of the steps towards that. However, many drivers fail to realize that there are more factors that go into driving besides just getting from place A to place B. Despite the newspaper articles, billboards, lesson plans, and parental talk about safe driving, we still see accidents on a rise. It is important that new drivers view driver education as important and not just as an obstacle they have to overcome to get their license.

Driver education objective is to supply drivers with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitude needed to become safe drivers. This mostly consists of learning laws and regulations that will help to keep themselves and others safe on the road. It has been reported that teens are less likely to be involved in crashes or receives traffic violations if they take driver education. This is an important improvement because statistically, teens have the highest fatality rates. Furthermore, according to the AAA Foundation study, “Driver education is associated with a lower incidence of both crashes and convictions – reducing crashes by 4.3% and convictions by nearly 40%.” In addition they reported, “Teens who complete driver education programs not only scored higher on the driving exam, they also demonstrated greater long-term knowledge over their peers who did not take driver’s ed.

Driver education is a required step in most states to obtain your license but most students don’t take it seriously. I noticed during the time I took my driver education, many students were on their phones, sleep, and not taking the class seriously. Today in age, my generation is filled with many distractions: the biggest ones being phones. According to an article online, the biggest cause of fatal car accidents is caused by distracted driving; especially among drivers between the ages of 15-20. Distracted driving comes in my forms. This includes texting and driving, looking for something in the car, messing with the radio, or any other activities where the driver’s mind is preoccupied with somebody else other than focusing on driving. According to Edgar Snyder Firm Statistics, “In 2017, 3,166 people were killed by distracted driving in, there were 34,247 distracted driving accidents, and 15,341 drivers aged 15-29 were involved in fatal crashes due to distraction or cell phone use.” I believe that it is very important for people to be aware of these statistics to better understand how important it is to practice safe driving.

You should stand up for whats right regarding your safety regardless of who you have to stand up to. Personally, I have never been in a car accident but I have been in the car with family members and friends who have been driving very irresponsibly. Such actions include driving and texting, driving past the speed limit, and running red lights. Most people excuse for driving recklessly is that they are trying to get to their destination quicker. However, I remind them that if they’re dead or in a fatal accident then they really would not be able to reach their destination. Furthermore, I remind people that they are not only putting themselves in danger but also other people in the car, pedestrians, and other families and drivers on the street. Another major reason many teens in my generation drive the way they do is that they think it’s cool. I am quick to inform by peers that it is not! You should not risk the safety of yourself and others to impress someone else. Rules are in place to protect you and every decision has a consequence rather it’s good or bad.

There are many actions you can take to protect yourself while driving. Always put on your seatbelt whether you’re driving or not. In addition to that, make sure your passengers and other riders have their seatbelt on as well. According to the Motor Vehicle Safety division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this reduces the risk of death and injury by nearly 50%. Furthermore, never drink and drive or get behind the wheel if your impaired with any drugs. Even a one drink can slow reaction time, lessen concentration, impair your vision and alter your inadequate judgement.

Although you may practiced safe driving, that doesn’t mean the people around you is doing the same. Therefore, it is important perpetuate defensive driving. The practice of safe driving practices is the most significant part of defensive driving. This includes not only prcating safe driving but to be mindful olf cars around you and not assume they are practing it as well. For example you should regularly check your mirrors, look far ahead, and avoid being in the way of a car yo see driving aggressively.

Driver education is very important and should be a required for all people trying to obtain a drivers licencse. In fact, I believed that it should be a folllow up class later down the line to remind drivers again about the current rules and regulations. Driving is an amazing ability that comes with alot of responsibility. Encourage family and friends to take driver education classes and don;t be afraid to education others on the importance of driving safely.