Behind the wheels of life

Participating in a driving education class is the first step to your path of becoming a driver in the world. A Driving education class is a formal class or program that prepares a new driver to obtain a learner’s permit or driver’s license. Not only does it prepare you to obtain your permit or driver’s license, it also teaches you the rules of the road, as well as things to do when driving to help reduce the number of deaths from driving. In addition, driving education poses an importance to all drivers as it teaches life-saving defensive driving maneuvers. Several steps can be taken to help reduce the number of deaths related to driving.

Avoiding distracted driving can not only keep those surrounding you driving safe, but keeps you safe and aware of the road as well. If you were to commute to any populated area, you’re bound to see people driving too slowly, occasionally weaving while talking on the phone. Staying off your phone helps avoid near misses as well as death casualty accidents from happening. Maintaining the posted speed limit can avoid accidents from occuring, exceeding a posted speed limit means you have elected to drive faster than was intended for that road, putting others at risk, all while consuming more fuel. The faster you go, the less reaction time you have and the more skills are necessary to avoid an accident. Furthermore, the sobering reality of drunk driving is that it is obviously a dangerous behavior, yet too often drivers get behind the wheel with alcohol in their bloodstream, impairing judgment and slowing reaction time. If you’re out having a good time, designate a driver. Or simply don’t drink till you’re home.

In addition to being conscientious with your driving behavior, choosing a good-performing car with excellent safety marks and proven reliability can further reduce your risks. Reliability can be a safety concern, as well. In extreme cases, a car can break down on the road, putting you in harm’s way. It’s important to be on alert when you’re driving in the parking lot. Most people behind the wheel are so focused on finding a parking spot that they aren’t watching what else is going on. Children can be very difficult to see in a busy parking lot, especially at night. For example, an excited child can dart out from between cars and in front of you in an instant. One way to avoid this is using rear view mirrors, or a backup camera giving you a wide view of what’s behind your car before proceeding to back up. Moreover, the latest cars can benefit from advanced safety features, such as front-collision mitigation, that can actively help avoid an accident, or at least reduce its severity. Other technologies such as lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert aid the driver by watching around the car for potential trouble and signaling danger.

Personally, I have been involved in a minor car accident, thankfully with no casualties due to the size of our car. There were four of us in the car, me, my roommate, and both of our siblings in the back seat. We were approaching a stop light in the turning lane, this particular stoplight had two turning lanes. As the light turned green, my roommate, who was driving, began to turn in her designated turn lane. In the midst of turning, a car from the other side of the stoplight was proceeding to make a turn in the same direction as us although it was not their turn. My roommate handled this situation effectively by not swerving but rather slowing down in case the car does decide to turn out of turn.The driver decided last minute to turn elsewhere, during this, the driver in the other turning lane beside up, made too far of a wide turn, causing the driver to side sweep the side of our car, as well as shifting us slanted. My roommate stayed calm and kept control of the car and when it was safe she pulled over. We looked at the damage, checked on everyone to make sure no one’s hurt, and proceeded to call the police. Both cars were damaged, but no one was hurt, due to the amount of damage on both cars, the police decided to leave it up to the insurance company to determine who was at fault.

All in all, ways to become a better driver and participate in safe driving overall is to; obey the traffic laws, be predictable, avoid distractions, drive rested, and steer clear of alcohol and drugs. Do this, and you’ll help make the roads safer for all. Participating in driver education can also help advance your knowledge of the road helping reduce the number of deaths related to driving happening. Driving is a privilege, allowing you freedom and comfortable transport, capable of moving a family hundreds of miles with just a tank of gasoline. Educating yourself and recognizing good driver habits can make it a safer way of transportation for everyone and yourself.