Many Lessons to Be Learned

When I learned to drive, my parents gave me very different explanations of certain laws, rules, and regulations regarding driving. For instance, my mother’s interpretation of laws regarding yielding and how to approach a four-way intersection differed from my father’s. My mother is a very strict “rule follower”. She also took Driver’s Education as a teen. For these reasons, my mother decided to enroll me in a driver’s education program to make sure that I was learning from a reliable source. She told me multiple times, “Bailey, you have to learn the law and always remember the magnitude of operating a motor vehicle”. She said that it was important for me to learn the laws myself. My mother also reminded me that it had been some time since she had taken the course and that she wanted me to have the most current and relevant information to allow me to be a more responsible driver. She also told me that I was going whether I “liked it or not” because we would receive a discount on our car insurance. I went begrudgingly. To be honest, I was incredibly hesitant about spending a portion of my summer in a boring classroom learning about things that I felt I already knew. However, through my driver’s education course, I gained an abundance of knowledge, which I believe has made me a more responsible and cautious driver.

My Driver’s education program provided me with an opportunity to, not only, learn road laws, but also provided me with an opportunity to safely explore scenarios that I may be faced with as a driver. One was having passengers use seat belts. I have younger siblings who often ride in the car with me. Before that lesson, I had never considered being responsible for making sure that my passengers were safely restrained. Another valuable lesson that I learned from this program was to be aware of all my surroundings. Before this course, I was more focused on my driving and my vehicle. Through scenarios presented in Driver’s Education, I learned the importance of being aware of outside factors such as other drivers. Lessons and scenarios such as those presented through the program were things that I had never thought of before. I’m sure the same can be said for many other students. Lessons such as those could potentially save many lives.

One valuable lesson that I learned quickly after I began driving was the negative impacts of distracted driving. Three teens from my high school were killed in a car accident shortly after the driver of the vehicle got his license. Was caused by distracted driving. Not only could the accident have been prevented, but at least, one of the teens who passed away was not wearing his seatbelt. The needless loss of life because of these two factors has shaped my perspective about driver safety. I also have a close friend who was in an accident because she bent down to pick something up while driving. I feel that distracted driving is a major cause of vehicle accidents, and I strongly believe that many of these accidents can be avoided by simply decreasing distractions while operating a vehicle.

I was involved in an accident a few months ago. It was the scariest moment of my life. I was driving with my sister in the passenger’s seat. It had been raining but was not raining at the time. I slid driving around a curve and hit another vehicle. Fortunately for me, my sister, and the other driver, no one was injured. Although I was not speeding, I received a ticket for driving too fast for the conditions. I did not understand at first, but I quickly realized that it was my job (as the driver of the vehicle) to know and understand what my car was capable of. We live in a very rural, mountainous area with many curvy roads. Through this experience, I was made aware that speed doesn’t necessarily mean the number on the traffic sign. This was one lesson I will never forget.

Some of the steps that I can take to maintain safety “behind the wheel” is to pay attention to the road, to other drivers, and roadway laws. This includes obeying speeding laws as well as keeping a safe distance from other cars. This also involves being able to safely control my vehicle whether the speed limit sign has number that is faster than I should be going to maintain safety. Another step that cannot be overlooked is for me, as the driver of my vehicle, to make sure that my passengers and I are properly and safely restrained with our seatbelts. Something else that I can, and often do, is to encourage others to take Driver’s Education courses instead of relying on individuals such as family members for guidance related to laws and safety regulations. While we must learn from family members, it is important to remember that laws and regulations change over time. To receive the most current information regarding driver safety, it is important to participate in Driver’s education programs. To that end, it is my goal and my responsibility to those that I care about that I promote safe driving by being an example.