Drivers Education Saves Lives

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15–20-year-olds. Drivers that have not completed a drivers’ education class have an increased chance of getting a traffic ticket by 75 percent and are also 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident. These stats alone show that taking a drivers’ education course will help to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. Driver education courses are the best method to teach a teen how to drive. Teenage drivers are less likely than adults to accurately perceive danger and more likely to commit driving errors that lead to a crash. Examples of this is driving at excessive speeds in prevailing conditions or overcompensating during sudden maneuver. Although parents may think they are good drivers and can teach there teen how to drive, it has been proved that teens who go through drivers ed classes are safer on the roads. Drivers ed primary focus is safety, and teens tend to listen more to professionals then their own parents. A good drivers ed course that thoroughly covers their state traffic laws helps a new driver learn the skills that are essential to the safe operation of a car and skills that may help a driver maneuver their way out of an accident.

The best way to reduce the number of deaths related to teen driving is by having all states adopt a graduated licensure systems that restrict young drivers/beginner drivers to conditions that reduce crash risk exposure when they first start to operate motor vehicles. These restrictions would include limiting night‐time, bans on other teenage passengers, and the required presence of supervising adults. These restrictions can then be relaxed as teenage drivers successfully progress through initial and intermediate stages of graduated licensure before being granted an unrestricted driver’s license. Additional steps one can take to reduce the number of deaths related to driving are to obey the traffic laws, be predictable, avoid distractions, drive rested, and steer clear of alcohol and drugs. The basic task of road safety education is to help students recognize and select a safe environment and situations.

I was involved in a minor car accident when I was 15 years old. My cousin who was 17 years old at the time was driving. My cousin was at fault for the accident as he cut off the other driver while trying to cut across three lanes of traffic. He did a quick look before he left the parking lot, we were exiting but did not look back to ensure he could proceed after other cars had passed. This experience has taught me to be very cautious and to check all around me multiple times before moving. Thankfully no one was injured in this accident, and we both learned to slow down and pay more attention to the situation we are in. In addition to the accident, I was involved in there was a recent accident that involved two teenagers that went to a neighboring school district, although I didn’t know the teens, the boy played varsity basketball like I did, and our school played against each other a few times over the season. The accident happened just a few weeks ago, early in the afternoon on a rainy Tuesday. The teens were heading to a friend house. They were traveling at a very high rate of speed, estimated to have been going 90 miles an hour on a tree lined street. The car they were driving in hydroplaned and started to cross over into oncoming traffic. The driver tried to veer the vehicle back to his lane and overcompensated sending the vehicle into a spin. The vehicle flipped over three times before slamming head on into a tree. Both teens were crushed and killed instantly. This accident has really made me think about my actions behind the wheel. I now adjust my driving to match the weather and road conditions, I monitor my speed, keep my head on a swivel, adjust my mirrors so I can see all around my vehicle, stay focused on the road, and obey all traffic laws. I often think about the teens killed in this accident and can’t help but think it could have been me or any of my friends. They were both seniors like me and had plans for the rest of their senior year. Senior prom, graduation, visiting colleges, and deciding on which one to attend in fall. They had their whole lives ahead of them and in a manner of seconds it was all taken away. He was a young driver and didn’t have enough experience to know how to correct his vehicle once it started to hydroplane.