Name: Micah Webb
From: Covington, Georgia
Votes: 0
“In
The Driver’s Seat”
The
first time I was allowed to drive by myself, my mom informed me that
a car is an easy and deadly weapon used to kill someone, including
myself. I always keep that thought in mind each time I get behind the
wheel. I also remember everything taught to me in my defensive
driving course and driving lessons. To keep my life safe as well as
others, defensive driving education was a necessity.
Defensive
driving education is vital because it teaches drivers the driving
laws, traffic safety, skills to driving, and most importantly makes
drivers aware of the consequences of driving while under the
influence of alcohol or drugs. Additionally, it reduces the number of
accidents, citations, and deaths on the road. The education teaches
the awareness of being proactive while driving and the steps needed
to do so. Not only can speeding cause deaths, but also bad driving
habits, such as using a cellphone or texting while driving, and a
lack of driving knowledge.
To
reduce the number of deaths related to driving, I believe all drivers
should be required to take a refresher course. This can be done at a
certain age or after a certain number of years the license has been
active. Traffic laws that were in place 10 years ago may have been
updated. Drivers need to know of these updates. Additionally, I think
fines need to be increased. Increased traffic fines may cause drivers
to think twice about not yielding, not using signals when changing
lanes, and running yellow stoplights at the last minute.
Although
I have never been in an accident, I have friends of classmates that
have been in accidents. A couple resulted in the deaths of those
classmates’ friends. One particular accident I remember vividly. A
teen driver with two passengers was driving around a curved road and
lost control of the car. The car hit two trees before ejecting one of
the passengers. It is believed alcohol may have been the cause of the
accident. This is a prime example of the importance of drugs and
alcohol education, especially in defensive driving courses.
Each
time I drive, I am taking a risk. I not only have to drive for
myself, but also I have to drive for others. I cannot assume that all
drivers know how to drive safely. Although I cannot control how
others drive, I can be aware of my surroundings and the behaviors of
other drivers. I need to pay attention, remain alert, and obey the
traffic laws. This is how I can drive responsibly while keeping
myself and others safe.
