The Importance of Drivers ed

Do
you ever get annoyed or have been a witness of someone getting
annoyed because you are stuck in traffic? Well if you do, you might
want to reconsider your emotions. The sounds of horns beeping, the
disgusting language coming out of peoples mouths, and the sight of
people slamming their hands on the steering wheel, it makes me
cringe. Yes, you may have somewhere important to be, but have you
ever thought about what may be lying a few cars ahead of you?
Everyday, someone dies and 99.9% of the time, it involves vehicles.
Whether it may be an incident caused from texting and driving,
speeding, running a stop sign or red light, or driving while
intoxicated, the number of highway fatalities in the United States is
not seeing a reduction. Drivers don’t take the time to think about
these facts or may not even know about them. It is an awful feeling
to go out to grab something at the store and worry about not your
driving, but the ones driving around you.

I
will never forget the time I was on the New York State Thruway stuck
in traffic getting ready to detour onto a nearby exit. No one knew
the reason behind this until we actually got to the exit ramp. A
white suburban and black pickup truck completely flattened, debris
all over the road, and wounded children hanging out of the windows,
unable to move. I will never forget the tears that ran down my face
and the feeling of sorrow for the lives that were lost during the
accident. These are the kinds of things that make drivers ed so
important. Completing a drivers ed course will teach you how to
safely operate a vehicle whether you’re on a busy highway, driving
at night, or in poor visibility, and will help in avoiding other
dangerous driving circumstances. It
also allows for you to practice communicating while driving, entering
and exiting traffic, using turn lanes, changing lanes, and adjusting
their vehicles’ speeds when necessary. Taking the time to understand
the importance of drivers ed can potentially reduce the number
of deaths as a result of driving.

As
said before, some of the most leading causes of deaths relating to
driving include speeding, road rage, texting, being intoxicated, or
distracting passengers. There are multiple ways however distractions
like the ones presented above can be prevented. For example, phone
companies like Apple designed a new way of hands free calling and
texting for those who may be on the road a lot. Without even having
to take your eyes off the road or hands off the steering wheel, all
you have to do is say the basic two words of Hey
Siri.
This will activate a hands free function where you can ask the phone
to text, dial a phone number, or plunk in navigation. Let me tell
you, it was one of the best things I ever hooked up on my phone. In
addition, knowing that someone used any amount of alcohol, offer to
be the designated driver. Not only are you reducing their risk for
death, but you are also doing it for many other lives on the road as
well. As a final though, it is so important to be predictable. Take
the time to plan out your drive, checking things like the weather,
traffic, road conditions, tire pressure, gas, oil, etc. It doesn’t
take that much time at all. Even though it might seem a lot, the
results can pay off in the end and potentially save your life if any
circumstances were to come your way.

The
tools I’ve learned in drivers ed are so important for not
only my safety, but the safety of others. Taking the time to set up
things like hands free calling and texting on your phone, checking
the outdoor conditions before you set sail, and just knowing and
setting your limits, the road becomes a safe place for all.