Power

Sarah
M. Alvarez

2020
Drivers ed Essay Contest

25
March 2020

Knowledge
is power. It is power to choose the good over the bad, power to
respond or be passive. With knowledge of correct driving, a person
can choose to drive safely. People, myself included, are more likely
to obey driving rules and drive safely if they know the reasons
behind the rules, and the risks of dangerous driving. This is why
drivers ed is extremely important in reducing the number of
driving-related deaths. If the drivers ed taken is insufficient or
contains wrong information, then whoever takes that course is
seriously at risk for making mistakes that could cost either their
life or the lives of others – simply because they did not know.

Drivers
ed should have ample listing of the risks of driving and the
consequences that result from dangerous driving, as well as the
reasons why certain road laws exist. In addition, drivers ed
should have refresher courses for older drivers, perhaps when
updating licenses. This will ensure that any new information put into
drivers ed is also made known to drivers who do not take the updated
course. It’s no use educating most of the drivers on the road about
safe practices if the others have not gotten the same information.

Driver
education should also include as many updated resources, statistics,
and studies available as possible. Telling new drivers information
from ten or more years ago seems dated and irrelevant. If the facts
given are more recent, from the past few years or so, new drivers are
more likely to pay attention, as these details are more real-time and
more applicable to the current driving conditions. Drivers ed should
also strive to be as engaging as possible. This will ensure that
learners are actually paying attention to the data being given.

While
I have never been in a car accident on the road, I have observed both
friends and family driving irresponsibly. Family members will search
for music on their phones while driving. Friends have posted on
social media videos of themselves while they are driving, or text
that they are stuck in traffic. I hate seeing the people that I care
about driving unsafely. I can be a better driver by setting a good
example to whomever I am in the car with, and by not adjusting music
while driving. I can also encourage my family and friends to drive
safely by offering to fix the music or navigate for them. Also, I
could not text my friends if I know that they are driving somewhere
(that way I am not tempting them to respond). I should call my
friends and family out when I see them driving unsafely.

Adequate,
updated and engaging drivers ed with periodical refresher courses has
the potential to greatly reduce dangerous driving and the death count
on roads. The more that drivers know about the risks that they take
while driving, the more power they will have to choose to be safe on
the road. Educated drivers create less risks and make the roads safer
for everyone.

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Count: 506