Respect on the Road

Ho’onani
L. Escalante

Driver
Education Initiation Award Essay

Annual
Scholarship Opportunity (2020)

26
March 2020

Respect on the Road

Drive with respect.
When you’re driving, respect may be the last thing you’re
thinking about. But respect reaches far beyond conversation
formalities. Driving with respect means taking every precaution
necessary to travel safely. Following driving laws is the best way to
keep everyone safe. Thus, the theme of respect extends to compliance
with the law and those around you when you’re on the road. Things
like distracted driving, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, and
driving under the influence puts everyone at risk. It is important
that young drivers understand the consequences of every action we
take when driving so that we can reduce the number of deaths related
to driving. We tend to believe bad things such as car accidents will
never happen to us. However, it could be any day that you or a loved
one falls victim to driving while distracted, particularly texting or
using social media. I’ve personally witnessed the tragedy of a young
life cut short due to a car accident. Making the right choice may be
hard but I know it is nowhere near as hard as losing someone you care
about. Consequently, drivers ed is an integral part of
developing safe driving habits.

Drivers ed
is a key part of any teen or young adult’s driving experience.
Statistically, thorough drivers ed reduces accidents and
traffic violations among teens. Distracted driving, driving under the
influence, and other bad driving habits are avoidable if novice
drivers are educated properly. While parents may be able to teach
teens some of the proper components of driving, it is still important
that children are still sent to an introductory driving course. My
personal experience with an introductory driving course includes
supervised driving hours, lessons on local driving laws, and written
scenarios. Drivers ed teaches young adults how to safely
operate a vehicle and practice communicating while driving such as
entering or exiting traffic or changing lanes. Young adults also
learn traffic signals and markings on the roadway and develop skills
to foresee hazards and unsafe situations.

Drivers should
develop healthy driving habits in order to keep passengers and
himself/herself safe. In the moment, it may seem harmless to send a
quick text or check your feed. However, the driver must consider the
consequences no matter how big or small. Safe driving habits may
include turning off your cell phone or put it out of reach. If you
need to be reachable by phone at all times, get a hands-free device
or system in your car to use in cases of emergency only. Obey all
traffic signals and signs on the road and use common sense when
entering and exiting traffic or changing lanes. Always wear a
seatbelt and ensure your passengers have their seatbelts on as well.
When driving with children or pets, make sure the kids are strapped
in and pets are in their carriers. If they need your immediate
attention during the drive, pull over before handling the situation.
Do not be tempted to multitask while driving and instead focus on the
road ahead. Multitasking includes talking on the phone, checking
social media, cleaning, eating, or even searching for music. It’s a
good idea to get everything settled and organized in your car before
you begin driving. Always keep your eyes, hands, and mind on the road
while driving. This will significantly l decrease your risk of
getting into an accident. When
I drive, I drive with respect. You should too.