Driver Education Initiative – In the driver’s seat

In the driver’s
seat

Taylor Grace Scott

I have been driving
for three years, and many things have stood out to me as I have
continued to drive the streets of Anderson, South Carolina. The first
of which is how important drivers ed is in reducing the number
of driving-related deaths. When I went through drivers ed, I
was made aware of things that I never would have known or even
thought about regarding driver-related deaths. They pointed out how
many people had died in South Carolina due to ignorance behind the
wheel. Drivers ed is imperative in showing students how to be
safe while driving, including information about the importance of
seatbelts, blinkers, headlights, and not driving under the influence.
It is very important that new drivers go through drivers ed so
they, like me, can be exposed to the dangers of driving and how to
always be safe, and this can reduce the number of driver related
deaths.

Some steps that can
be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving are
increasing penalties on things like not wearing seatbelts or
drastically speeding. Seatbelts can have such an impact on accidents
and not wearing one could make a serious accident become fatal. Also,
speeding is very dangerous because if a car crashed into another
going at a low or moderate speed, the damage would be a lot worse if
the car was speeding. Another precaution taken could be to make it
illegal to be on a phone or device at all while driving. These
devices are so distracting and have caused many deaths across the
country already this year because drivers look down at their phones
and don’t see the car breaking in front of them. These are just a
few things that could be done to reduce the number of deaths related
to driving.

I was involved in an
accident last year, and three of my closest friends were also hit
around the same time. I was driving myself and a friend to school
when the light ahead of me turned yellow, and the cars in front of me
hit the brakes, and I did as well. The car behind me was either not
paying attention or not quick enough to brake in time because she
came crashing into the back of my car. The glass on her headlights
shattered, my back bumper was smashed in, and her car would not even
start after she turned it off. It was a scary experience, and then I
found out that she was driving uninsured, and hadn’t had insurance
in over six months. That was very irresponsible of her because then
we ended up having to pay for the damages. My three best friends were
also hit in similar instances, at a four way stop, pulling out of the
school parking lot, and at a red light again. None of the accidents
we were involved in were our faults, but they all took a toll on us.

Some steps I can
take to be a better driver are driving distraction free all of the
time, using my blinkers early, and always wearing my seatbelt. I can
help others be safe on the road by making everyone who rides in my
car wear their seatbelt and not call my friends or family if I know
that they are driving.