Why Drivers ed is Crucially Important to This World

Drivers
Education Initiative Award: In the Driver’s Seat

Why
Drivers ed is Crucially Important to This World

Most teenagers take
Drivers ed when they are 15 years old. Drivers ed
is very important when it comes to reducing the number of deaths as a
result of driving, and here’s why: Drivers ed is
associated with a lower incidence rate of both crashes and
convictions- reducing crashes by 4.3% and convictions by nearly 40%.
That may not seem like very big numbers, but every life that is saved
is a very big positive. Young drivers who have not completed driver’s
education are 24% more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury
accident and 16% more likely to be in an accident. Here’s an
example: 11.1% of the drivers ed cohort was involved in a
car crash, compared to the 12.9% of those who did not take drivers
education.

There are numerous
steps to take that could potentially reduce the number of death’s
related to driving. The first, based off of the statistics over the
last few years, would be making Drivers ed a mandatory
class at the age of 15. Other steps that could be taken would be to
be predictable, avoid distractions (your cellphone, other passengers,
the radio, food), drive rested (so you don’t feel the need to close
your eyes for that “split second”), and simply obey the traffic
laws; wear your seatbelt, go the speed limit, no more than 5 miles
per hour over, turn your headlights on when they need to be on, etc.

I have never been in a car accident, but I have driven with multiple
people who choose to drive recklessly, many being my own age. Whether
they were on their phones, changing the song multiple times in a row,
or taking their eyes off of the road to talk, eat or drink something,
there were multiple times I felt uncomfortable. I have had one close
encounter with being in a car accident. I was riding in a car with a
girl my age. She went to pass a mini bus on a hill, in a sport where
you could pass but it was kind of hard to see long distance. Side by
side with this bus, a car came over the hill. She slowed down at the
same time as the bus, so we were stuck. The oncoming car ended up
driving in the ditch to avoid hitting us. Luckily everyone was safe
and there wasn’t an accident but it could have been avoided if she
had waited until we got over the hill-this girl also didn’t take
drivers ed.

Some steps to take
to become a better driver as well as help others be safer on the road
would be to always wear your seatbelt, turns your lights on when they
need to be on, use your blinker, make sure your brake lights are
always working, leave your phone in your bag, etc. By doing these
things, we can reduce the amount of accidents that happen around the
world.