Keep calm, be responsible, and take a drivers ed course.

Think
about this: In 18 states, it is possible to get a licence without a
drivers ed course at all. Out of the other 32 states that do
require a course, only 7 states continue to require a course for
persons over 20 years old. If teens are not getting instruction from
professionals, where would they get their instruction? They get it
from their parents, guardians, and friends around them; which can
become a problem. When their parents, who learned how to drive 20+
years ago, teach their kids how to drive, it can lead to bad habits
and a lack of knowledge in uncommonly encountered problems when
operating a motor vehicle. It’s not that the parents or guardians
teaching are bad drivers- they’re not. The problem comes when the
new, inexperienced drivers are taught by their family and friends,
who may gloss over the details that could be vitally important in an
emergency. If teens are taught by professional driving education
teachers, the bad habits will be greatly reduced. Those bad habits
can and do cause crashes for teenagers and adults every day. But, if
there are good drivers on the roads that don’t have bad habits
because they took a drivers ed course, then the risk of crashes
and deaths greatly diminish.

A
few months ago, when my friend was driving, we were on the highway
when a yellow light turned red as we were about to enter the
intersection. My friend, trying to be a good driver and not run a red
light, slammed on the brakes and stopped for the red light. She was
trying to be responsible by not running the light, but instead, put
us all in danger by stopping quickly, causing the cars behind us to
have to stop quickly as well. Luckily, there weren’t too many cars
behind us and they were alert while driving, which enabled them to
stop in time. By trying to be responsible, she ended up being
irresponsible, which endangered the lives of all who were in the car.

The
best way to be a better and safer driver, is to follow a few rules
relating to what you should and shouldn’t do, before and after you
enter the car. The most obvious rules are the ones that you have
heard of before. Of course, don’t drink and drive, and don’t text
and drive. But many of the problems that cause crashes are not
because of those two reasons. Before you get in the car, make sure to
get enough sleep. It is truly important. Studies even show that you
are equally unaware of your surroundings if you are tired, as if you
were drunk. Something else you can avoid, is driving too fast.
Driving too fast doesn’t necessarily mean over the speed limit, it
depends on the conditions you are facing. During a snowy day, you
should drive slower than a sunny day. So slow down, be responsible,
and take a drivers ed course.