Driver Education: A Route to Safer Driving

Driver education is an essential element in reducing the number of driving related deaths that occur in the United States. With more knowledge of driving comes safer practices, and overall safer roads. In 2015, the University of Nebraska released findings from their study of driver’s ed and its impact on teen driving. Teens are at the highest risk for getting into crashes and fatal accidents when they are 16 – 18 years old, making reducing these numbers essential to increasing road safety. The University of Nebraska concluded that, “Young drivers who have not completed driver’s education are 75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident and 16 percent more likely to have an accident” (University of Nebraska – Lincoln). With this statistic in mind, there is clear evidence that going through driver education can reduce these crashes and fatalities.

Nonetheless, registering for a professional driver education program is not an accessible option for everyone. For individuals looking to be more educated in their driving practice, it may be necessary for them to educate themselves on the subject of safe driving practices. State driving manuals are available at your local DMV, and contain information on traffic laws and safe driving techniques. Additional books can be purchased to further an individual’s knowledge. Some such books include Your Quick and Easy Car Care and Safe Driving Handbook by Laura Flynn McCarthy, or The Book on Safe Driving by Joe Darden. As the study at the University of Nebraska showed, more education on safe driving practices would greatly reduce the number of traffic accidents and driving related deaths.

Additional steps that could be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving include eliminating distracted driving, driving under the influence, and driving an unsafe vehicle. According to The National Law Review, distracted driving – including using a cell phone, looking at others in the vehicle, hearing noises or music, eating, looking into glare from the sun, and daydreaming – is the number one cause of road fatalities (Console). In some states, using a handheld cell phone while driving is illegal, but that still does not eliminate other distractions that come with driving a vehicle, and even with the laws, many people are still found to be texting and driving.

Drivers should take responsibility for themselves and ignore potential distractions while driving as much as possible in order to decrease the number of deaths related to driving. Additionally, drivers should never drive a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs that can impair their response rate, awareness of their surroundings, and overall cognitive function. Drunk drivers may drift out of their lane hitting oncoming vehicles and killing the passengers. Also, drivers should make sure their vehicle is safe before taking it out on the road. Brakes failing, signals not working, and other vehicle problems can impact the driver’s ability to handle their vehicle safely on the road. Most importantly, if a seat does not have a properly functioning seatbelt and airbag, the seat is unsafe for passengers, and in the event of a collision could result in their death. Eliminating distracted driving, driving under the influence, and driving unsafe vehicles would greatly decrease the number of deaths caused by driving.

Personally, I have never been in a car accident, however, I have seen my own friends and family driving irresponsibly. Often, friends of mine will respond to texts while driving, or focus more on changing the music in the car than focusing on the road. Similarly, my parents will use their phones while driving on occasion to respond to emails or text messages. Sometimes these instances of distraction can cause the car to drift a bit out of the lane, or speed up above the speed limit. Fortunately, no accidents have occured yet from this unsafe behavior, but when it does happen, I remind them to put their phone away and focus on driving safely.

In order for myself to become a better driver, I can take precautionary measures to limit the distractions I may experience while driving. Turning off my cell phone and then putting it away in a bag or pocket reduces the risk of texting and driving. Setting up my music before driving can help to reduce distractions as well. I also keep a pair of sunglasses in my car to help when driving in extremely bright conditions, and adjust my mirrors to ensure that I have the best view of other vehicles that I can. Additionally, I take my car in for routine maintenance and oil changes to make sure that my vehicle is safe not only for myself but also my passengers. Hopefully, by doing these safe driving practices I can encourage my friends to do the same. And when in their cars, reminding them to turn off and put away their phone while driving would greatly help them to become better drivers as well.

When I was learning to drive, I took a driver education course prior to getting my license. I feel that the education I received there has helped me to understand driving and safety at a much more significant level than that of some of my peers. Encouraging (or potentially even requiring) driver education for teenagers would greatly reduce accidents, and road deaths. Driver education has been proven to improve the skills that drivers use on the road and reduce driving related fatalities, making it an extremely valuable tool in creating safer roads for drivers, passengers, and other vehicles alike.

Citations

1. Console, R. P. (2020, October 13). The Most Common Causes of Collision. The National Law Review. Retrieved March 9, 2022, from https://www.natlawreview.com/article/most-common-causes-collision.

2. University of Nebraska – Lincoln. (2015, August 13). Study: Driver’s ed significantly reduces teen crashes, tickets. University of Nebraska – Lincoln UNL News Releases. Retrieved March 9, 2022, from https://newsroom.unl.edu/releases/2015/08/13/Study:+Driver%27s+ed+significantly+reduces+teen+crashes,+tickets#:~:text=%22Teens%20taking%20driver%20education%20are,these%20reductions%20are%20especially%20meaningful.