Informed Behind the Wheel

Riley
Lee Allen

2020
Drivers ed Essay Contest

March
24, 2020

Informed
Behind the Wheel

One
of the many epidemics that are overlooked is driver safety. From
distracted driving to simply not wearing a seatbelt, these factors
can mean life or death for anyone on the road. According to Tenge Law
Firm LLC, car crashes make up 33% of all teen deaths. Driver
education plays a crucial role in reducing these numbers because it
informs, educates, and challenges students of all ages to exercise
safety behind the wheel. Drivers Ed emphasizes the fact that driving
is a privilege and should be taken seriously. As former President of
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) at the high school that
I graduated from, my Vice President and I had the privilege of
attending the 2018 SADD National Conference. At the conference, the
organization offered various workshops on driver safety and personal
testimonies from individuals who were affected by driving
negligently. They also gave us an abundance of resources that we
could use at our high school and help spread awareness of driver
safety. One of the most important precautions to take when practicing
safe driving is wearing a seat belt. This basic step is widely
overlooked and dismissed as unimportant by many, but wearing a
seatbelt can, in fact, save lives. At the SADD conference, I had the
opportunity to hear testimony from Kevin Brooks, a man who suffered
from a tragic car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest
down. He stated that the only thing he did right the day of the
accident was wear his seatbelt. This small step ended up saving his
life, as he could very well have died if the seatbelt did not keep
him strapped inside of his vehicle. I have become a better and safer
driver by hearing these stories and putting into practice the lessons
from Drivers Ed as well as the lessons learned from those who
suffered from driving negligently. The first thing to do before even
turning on your vehicle is to buckle your seatbelt. Personally, I
also require all my passengers to wear a seatbelt. If they decline, I
simply do not drive them anywhere and explain to them the importance
of buckling up. After completing Drivers Ed in high school I am aware
of the importance of driving safely, and I encourage all of my peers
to take this important course as a means of spreading awareness and
helping the community stay healthy and safe as they go about their
daily lives.