The responsibilities of Freedom

What
is the importance of drivers ed in reducing the number of
deaths as a result of driving?

In
the United States, driving has long been associated with freedom.
Freedom from the limitations of parents and family, freedom to live
life on one’s own terms. Freedom is a gift that all people cherish,
but in the case of driving, a famous quote from the late Stan Lee
sums up the biggest issue that comes up: “with great power, comes
great responsibility.” As drivers, we have great power in our
hands. Drivers ed ensures that we also understand the great
responsibility of protecting the lives of everyone on the road.

Many
of our parents and grandparents may say they learned to drive “the
old-fashioned way,” meaning without any formal education. To say
that this means they are any less capable of driving than those that
received formal drivers ed would be a gross overstatement. The
best teacher, after all, is experience, hence why one must complete a
requirement of driving hours on the road before receiving their full
driver’s license. Experience on the road teaches drivers to be
adaptable and responsive to the way people drive in their area.
Still, even the most experienced drivers would greatly benefit from
re-educating themselves on the rules of the road every once in a
while, as the rules can change quickly. The basic principles of
driving may stay consistent, but brushing up on small rule changes
can save someone from making a grave mistake that could cost them
their life or the life of another.

For
the new driver, drivers ed is invaluable to making sure one is
safe on the road. Mentoring from one’s parents or a trusted adult
certainly helps, but they may not have full familiarity with the
current driving laws or may not have the right mindset for teaching
such a potentially dangerous skill. A proper drivers ed can
give a new driver the confidence necessary to handle the
responsibility of operating a vehicle safely and intelligently. When
driving supervised with a learner’s permit, a common issue young
drivers face are parents too fearful of their child being harmed to
properly guide them on the road. Having a formal drivers ed
will help ease their concerns and, in turn, ease the nervousness of
the driver when the situation calls for quick and calculated
decision-making. A driver without any education may doubt themselves
in these stressful moments and panic under the pressure, which could
cause unfortunate casualties. Choosing not to educate oneself is just
as negligent as any other crime one could commit on the road.

Simply
put, sometimes other people need educating. This is especially true
in the case of driving, where countless instances of this occur every
day. Being an informed driver can help you protect yourself, but
helping to educate others can protect the lives of so many more. It
is our responsibility, as educated drivers, to make sure other people
understand the responsibility they have to protect those around them
on the road. Discouraging people from picking up bad habits like
driving under the influence or distracted driving can prevent so many
unnecessary deaths, and making sure we do not fall into those
temptations as well is absolutely crucial. Drivers ed is
incredibly important to preventing deaths on the road, and every
driver should recognize that fact before they decide to take on this
great responsibility.