, Safety while Driving and More

Ever since the first driving school was established in 1910, driver’s education has played a great role in keeping the roads safe for all who use them. However, many people do not realize how important it is, and every day there are more and more accidents on the roads as a result. Driver’s education helps to educate many accidents we see on the road today, from distracted driving to aggressive driving and many others. These lessons have become increasingly relevant in the lives of modern drivers - and even in my own life.

The best thing about driver’s education is that it can directly reduce the number of deaths as a result of driving. A good course consists of the development of safe driving attitudes, especially in traffic. This includes key concepts such as following distance, blind spots, and the meanings of different traffic signs. Understanding these concepts helps drivers know how to react to different situations when driving a vehicle. This knowledge can minimize the number of vehicle-related accidents, which in turn reduces the number of deaths caused by them.

“Driver’s ed” aside, there are multiple steps that can be taken to reduce driver-related deaths, both by the driver and by car companies. The most important step for drivers is to put away any distractions, most likely a phone or other electronics, that would distract them from the road ahead. Paying attention while driving is essential to preventing automobile accidents, as it gives the driver a better chance of reacting to unexpected situations on the road. Another step drivers can take is to be more peaceful when driving on the road. In other words, they should avoid being so aggressive, yield the right of way as they should, and be less vengeful against other drivers. Becoming a more peaceful driver may not prevent some unavoidable mistakes, it will at least prevent them from making any rash decisions to “punish” fellow drivers. As for car companies themselves, they could add features to their cars to make them safer. Perhaps some sort of cushion lining the interior of the car could help reduce the damage an occupant receives in the event of an accident.

I've personally been in a couple accidents over the years (but thankfully not when I was behind the wheel!) One of the strangest that comes to mind occurred near the Falls Church portion of I-395. Behind us, a vehicle changed lanes without signaling and ended up crashing into another vehicle. The wheel from the first vehicle somehow fell off in the impact and rammed into our vehicle, causing my mom to swerve off to the side of the highway. Thankfully, my family and I were not injured and our car suffered minor damages. However, the cars that collided suffered significant damages requiring emergency services. This incident showed me the importance of turn signals, as they help communicate with other drivers on where one wishes to go. Without them, drivers would change lanes without warning and shock the drivers behind them, leading to more crashes.

Lastly, there are a couple key steps that I could take to make myself a better driver as well as help others become safer on the road. As mentioned before, turning off distractions and using turn signals are important in becoming a good driver. Another step I could take that most people do not consider is getting enough sleep before driving. This ensures that I am as alert as possible while on the road, immediately making it safer for myself and other drivers. Not getting enough sleep, however, could make me sluggish and unresponsive to changes occurring on the road. It could even lead to me falling asleep on the wheel, causing accidents without even waking up.

In conclusion, there are two main points that can be taken away from this. Firstly, driver education is crucial in establishing good driving habits in newer drivers. Secondly, the most important step to take while driving involves putting all of one’s focus into the road ahead and the vehicle they are operating. This increases the safety of the driver, their passengers, and any other drivers on the road. One last note that I wanted to add is this: being a good driver requires practice, patience, and perseverance in learning road laws. If a new driver continues practicing their techniques, uses patience with other drivers, and perseveres in remembering what is and is not allowed on the road, they are well on the way to becoming the best version of themselves as a driver.