To make the roads safer, one person at a time

Driving
is a part of life. People drive for various reasons such as shopping,
working, and recreation. While driving, sharing the road with other
drivers and pedestrians is important for the safety and well-being of
everyone. Getting around town should not be a life-threatening event.
Drivers ed can help reduce the risk of an accident by
teaching them not only how to use a car but also how to do it
responsibly.

Learning
the rules of the road and concepts such as the right of way is
especially important to avoid accidents. For example, when there are
no lights at an intersection, drivers need to know the right of way
rule to prevent an accident. Most accidents are caused by human error
and can be avoided by following the rules of the road. Drunk and
distracted driving causes thousands of deaths every year and is
preventable. There are already campaigns to stop people from texting
and driving and to avoid drinking while driving as well. People learn
to avoid these things while in Drivers’ Education before obtaining
their license. Initially, people tend to drive safely out of fear of
trying something new but over time they get used to it and start to
ignore basic safety rules. It is more convenient to run through a
stop sign than to stop and look around. Over time, this becomes a
habit. The best way to make sure that people continue to drive safely
is to reinforce the lessons of Drivers’ Education. This can be done
by enforcing traffic laws and encouraging people to drive safely.

When I was young, I
was involved in a car accident. I was with my family in our car
waiting at a red light when a car behind us bumped on the back of our
car. It wasn’t a serious accident but as a child, it was scary to
feel like we were playing bumper cars. The other driver was in a
hurry to get somewhere and moved closer to our car as a result. Much
later in life, my best friend got in a car accident at an
intersection where another car hit on the right side of his car while
he was making a left turn. This incident shook him and made him avoid
driving for a couple of weeks making his school commute extremely
inconvenient for him as there was no bus service. These incidents
remind me of the importance of being safe on the road.

As a motorist, it is
important to not only follow safe driving practices but also
encourage others to do so. By driving safely ourselves, we encourage
others to follow suit. We can make our roads a safer place by
avoiding aggressive driving, being respectful to other drivers and
following the rules of the road. Collectively, we can make driving a
safe, calm, stress-free, and enjoyable experience for everyone.