Mistakes of driving and the importance of education on driving.

Driver education I believe is the most important part in reducing car accidents, and keeping people safe. Education on the rules and how they work provides everyone with the knowledge to communicate and be safe on the road. If everyone knows the rules on driving, the death tally will surely be reduced. I believe most accidents happen when one or both people involved had no idea what the rules were and made a mistake. Driver education also goes over general car information that most people will, like what to do during rainy days, and the different dangers drivers should be cautious and aware of. By making sure everyone gets their driver education, people will most likely stop making mistakes or reduce the likelihood of these drivers getting into accidents.

There are multiple steps that I believe can be taken to stop people from getting into car accidents. I believe the most important part is reducing the confidence of drivers. Most drivers have gone through the education of driving and know the rules, but most long time drivers or even new ones with a lot of confidence will think these rules rolling on the stop sign or not checking their mirror before changes don’t apply to them due to their experience or the skills that they think they have. Rules of changing lanes cause drivers to get into accidents, and their usual excuse when asked why they ignored the rules is the fact that they have the experience to do such things. While having experience might be a good thing, it gives drivers the feeling of false safety that they can bend certain rules, or just ignore them completely. If everyone did not feel like they were above the law because of experience, I feel like there would be a lot less accidents. I think another step is parents not allowing their child to drive with just a permit. I know multiple friends who allow their children to drive due to the fact that they have a permit and not even a license. If parents would just not allow their children to do this, I believe that there would be less accidents.

I have seen friends drive very irresponsible. I have seen a friend completely ignore stop signs, driveway over speed limits, and basically have no regard for any rules. While I do not do this myself, most accidents occur because of these types of people and not the ones that follow the rules. People who follow the rules usually only get in accidents when they encounter someone who doesn’t. There have been so many stories of people who kill whole families over not driving responsibly, and I believe that getting the privilege to drive comes with the responsibility of other’s lives. If you drive irresponsible, you have to remember that you are also in charge of other people’s lives. I think that everyone should drive as responsibly as they can and make sure that they follow the rules. Seeing my friends drive like that not only makes me feel scared for their safety because they are my friends, but also for other people’s.

As a new driver myself, I believe I have to improve myself and how I pay attention to the road. Too many times I see myself not looking both ways because there were no cars two seconds ago, but I know half a second can change my life. I need to be more cautious and concentrate on the road instead of what’s on the side of the road. Too many times I see myself get distracted by something on the sidewalk instead of what’s in front of me. I need to get better at just making sure that I am focused on the road and not on other things. I also need to take criticism better, because sometimes I don’t like taking advice even if I know that advice can make me safer. Making sure I don’t lash out at the person giving me advice and not getting mad is something that I need to work on.

I think I can help my friends be better on the road not through my skills but by sharing what my parents have taught me. Taking into account other people’s safety, and what an accident can do not only to you and other people, but your family really gives you the mental boost to be a safe driver. If I can teach this to my friends, I am sure they would turn in the much safer drivers. Teaching them to look not only at their own safety but others will make them more cautious and think about their decisions more before they make them.