Driving Safety

Driving
Safety

By
Lydia Pietrowski

Drivers
education is important because it gives people set times to learn
about the rules of the road and driving experience with someone who
can correct them professionally when they make mistakes. Kids do
learn how to drive from their parents, but the time they have to give
is inconsistent due to work, and parents are too nervous most of the
time when their kid is behind the wheel to calmly correct them about
what they are doing wrong. Drivers ed allows kids to come for a set
amount of time to learn everything they can without experience so the
process of becoming safe drivers is smoother than it would be
otherwise. Instructors are also able to screen kids who don’t seem
emotionally mature enough to be behind the wheel. If the kid is
constantly panicking, then they aren’t allowed to get their permit.

I
don’t know what steps can be taken to reduce the number of driving
related deaths because no matter how many laws are passed, they will
always be broken. Drivers ed shows videos about what could happen if
people drink and drive, or are distracted, but they don’t seem to
work. One solution could be (for texting and driving) is to let the
student go into a parking lot with cones representing cars, and allow
them to text while driving. By giving them the experience in a
controlled environment might discourage them from doing it on the
road in the future. It’s said that experience is the best teacher;
why not let that be utilized. 

I
myself have only been in an accident in the school parking lot where
I parked in a space without enough room between my car and the curb,
and my car and another car. I tried to get out multiple times only to
get stuck each time resulting in the taillight of the other car
getting damaged and the back passenger door on my car to get damaged.
I learned to park with either at least one space free or to make sure
that I know that the space is wide enough to accomodate the car I’m
driving.

Something
that people can do to be better drivers on the road is to put their
phones away while driving, only using it for either music or a GPS
(this isn’t hard as Maine made it illegal to have the phone in hand
while driving). One thing I am doing to help others be safer on the
road is to teach them what I know. Whenever I go to hangout with my
friend, who is in the process of getting her licence, I give her tips
that I know that will help her be safer on the road. One of them is
to look at the left taillight of the car in front of her to make sure
she is centered on the road; less drifting to one side or the other
means less chance of her getting in a car accident.