Drivers Ed: A Real Life Lesson

Driver’s
Education: A Real Life Lesson

Michala
J. Dennis

I
heard a loud crash, and the back window of the minivan was suddenly
gone. Within an instant, an innocent ride with my siblings turned
into a grand fear of mine that could have been fatal.

Though
my father taught me most of what I know about the mechanics of
driving, I credit most of my success on the road to a driver
education course. As well as including a few driving lessons, the
bulk of the course was geared around a textbook about the mechanics
and dangers of driving. Through this course, I learned about the
danger of distractions on the road, as well as how it is just as
important to concentrate on the driving of others as it is to focus
on your own vehicle. People between the ages of fifteen and twenty
are most likely to get into fatal car accidents, but the odds could
be decreased as long as these new drivers manage their risk well.

As
I read through this driving textbook, I began to think of its advice
while on the road. I began seeking fifteen to thirty seconds ahead
for any apparent danger. I began to look all around the vehicle for
other cars and pedestrians. Finally, I began to hide all tangible
sources of distraction. I thought of myself as a good, attentive
driver, and I did not think that I would get into an accident because
of all the precautions I was taking.

However,
I quickly learned that I can not rely on my driving alone.

On
March 21, 2020, I took my younger brother, who has autism, and my
younger sister for a ride. After about an hour of safely driving
around curvy, rural roads, it was time to take the highway home. We
had to get off an interstate highway to merge onto a local
expressway, which I had done before. However, as I was stopped at the
ramp and looking to merge onto the expressway, a pickup truck hit me
from behind at about forty miles per hour. I was terrified; I did not
know how to react now that the back of the car now had a foot-deep
dent in it. My dad and the police came to assess the situation, and
all three of us in the car had to go to the hospital to be evaluated.
Luckily, besides my sister breaking her wrist, all three of us had no
major injuries.

Though
the accident was not my fault, I truly learned the significance of
watching for others on the road. By avoiding distraction and being
cautious of all drivers, many accidents can be prevented. We must be
responsible to maintain the proper following distance and speed, but
it is also the driver’s responsibility to take precautions in case
another driver is reckless. If we can recall our risk management
abilities from driving education, we can prevent the fatality rate of
driving and make the road a safer place.