Driver Education Initiative – Better Safe than Sorry

Better
Safe than Sorry

Excitement,
freedom, and happiness are just a few of the emotions teens feel
after walking out of the DMV as a new driver! We dream of driving
from the time we are little. Finally, we don’t have to walk
everywhere. It is a symbol of freedom and growing up. However, as
great as that all sounds, driving can be one of the most dangerous
activities we engage in daily.

“The
purpose of drivers ed is to provide you with the knowledge,
skills, and attitudes needed for vehicle safety both as a driver and
as a pedestrian” according to DriversEd.com. At the age of 15-16
you are eligible to take drivers ed. Most students that take
this class are very young. They are mainly 8th graders, freshman, or
sophomores that are impatiently waiting to drive. At this point, most
students are more concerned about being able to drive rather than the
safety aspects. Drivers ed. explains the evidence on safety while
sitting behind the wheel. Young drivers are inexperienced and have
little to no idea what to do if an accident were to occur. For
example, we are approaching winter and most new drivers will be
experiencing ice on the road for the first time. Most of them will
overcorrect because of lack of experience, causing their vehicle to
slide even more or flip. Instead, they should avoid slamming on the
breaks, steer into the skid, and not crank the steering wheel in the
opposite direction. Drivers ed covers multiple ways to be safe
and what choices need to be made before getting behind the wheel.

There
are multiple ways we can minimize the risk of accidents and
fatalities that revolve around driving. Almost every risk can be
minimized by choices. First of all, we need to recognize that a car
can be a lethal weapon every time we are behind the wheel. Therefore,
choices are crucial before and after we get into a vehicle. For
example, one of the highest causes of fatalities is due to
intoxicated driving. “Drunk driving has claimed the lives of almost
11,000 people” according to National Highway Traffic. In high
school, many teens will make the choice to go to a party, hangout
with that friend, try drinking for the first time, etc. Nobody sits
down and thinks “if I get in this car, it might be my last day on
earth.” Most people are just trying to fit into the popular crowd,
making the poor choice of doing anything for attention. Imagine going
to a party and having a great night with your friends without a care
in the world. A few friends pressure you into taking a couple sips of
alcohol. Later on, you decide it is time to go home. You get in the
driver’s seat and take off. You are on a turn and cannot judge the
curve accurately. Before you realize it, you overcorrect and flip
your vehicle. The next thing your family hears, is your name on the
news being pronounced dead due to drinking and driving. Your family
is torn apart. It was just supposed to be a fun night, how could this
have happened? This all could have been avoided if you would have
made the choice to not get behind the wheel. Again, making the right
choice and thinking it through before you get in a vehicle. Another
step that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to
driving, is to make the choice to not use your phone once in your
car. In the one second that you make the choice to look at your
phone, it may be too late to avoid a crash. A phone call, a snapchat,
a text message can all wait. If victims of fatal car crashes could
give advice, they would say to choose safety over your phone.

I
have personally never been in a car accident. However, I live in an
extremely small town which means everyone knows everyone. Well, one
morning I was sitting on my mom’s bed and as she flipped on the
news, I saw a very familiar face. Before I knew it, my mom was
sobbing trying to explain to me what happened. It was the summer of a
16 year old cheerleader from our high school. She was about to enter
her junior year. Unfortunately, she never got that chance. As she
failed to stop at a stop sign, a truck hit her. She was pronounced
dead at the scene along with her two passengers. Her family was
devastated along with the shock that rang through our entire
community. As a new driver, I believe more experience and less
distractions in the vehicle may have prevented this accident.

I
can take many steps to become a better driver, as well as helping
others to become safer on the road. Knowing the right choices to make
as a driver, can save my life as well as others. For instance, I
will always keep my hands on the recommended positions, I will be a
defensive driver, and I will leave all distractions behind me when I
get into the car. Finally, I will continue to practice. I have had my
license for two years now. I am still willing to learn and improve my
driving when given the chance. If someone calls me out for texting
and driving or speeding, I will fix my mistake immediately and not
let it happen again. The majority of people when given advice will
answer with the “I know” attitude, but expanding your knowledge
and taking advice is one of the best qualities to have. I can also
help others to become a safer driver. If I see my friends
demonstrating bad driving habits, I will approach them with what I am
observing about their driving. In this situation, sugar coating will
not make it clear enough. I will remind them what we learned in
drivers ed and the importance of it. Furthermore, I will
explain to them how dangerous it is and continue to give scenarios on
the possibilities of distracted driving. Better safe than sorry.