Freedom. That’s what getting your license is all about, right? Wrong. Getting a license and being able to drive is a privilege, and all drivers need to know that although you may be granted with more freedom, you must know the consequences that can come with it. It is a thrilling achievement when you turn 16 and are finally eligible to get your driver’s license. The idea of a new car, being able to get food through drive-thrus anytime, getting to play whatever music you like in the car, as loud as you like; the possibilities are endless! Unfortunately, this is all too good to be true because the truth is, there are real, dangerous, and even fatal, outcomes from driving.

On a personal account, a simple drive could lead to a complicated accident. For instance, during the school year, many student drivers would rush out of the parking lot hoping to get ahead of the afterschool pileup, which consisted of being stuck behind school buses and stubborn parents. On a specific day, one student collided with another, which led to disastrous effects. That particular student was a good friend of mine, that unknowingly at the time, would eventually become my college roommate. On the day of the accident, my friend had turned right out of the school and another car slammed into the side of the car, causing her to wipe out onto the grass. Luckily, no one was injured, but my friend’s car was so damaged that it was totaled. I was able to comfort her in a time of crisis and need, but there was nothing that I could do to change the outcome. The accident reiterated an important lesson: always look both ways, inch up slowly if you have to, but always look both ways.

Drivers ed is needed before getting behind the wheel. Before driving, you cannot gain experience on what the roads will be like, what specific traffic signs mean, or what driving laws are established, unless you are educated about it. In a study done by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, those that did not complete drivers ed were 24% more likely to be involved in a fatal accident and 75% more likely to get a traffic ticket than a student that has completed drivers ed. The numbers shown through the study are significant and indicate that it is clearly the responsible option to obtain drivers ed. There are other steps that can be taken to reduce the number of driving-related deaths, such as enforcing laws that prohibit driving under the influence, implementing measures to reduce speeding, and encouraging the use of rideshare apps, such as Uber and Lift. Personally, the steps that I can take to be a better driver are to continue my promise of safe and committed driving by eliminating distractions, like never using a cell phone while driving, never drinking and getting behind the wheel, and never speeding by paying attention to the speed limit.

Reed, Leslie. “Study: Drivers Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets.” UNL News Releases, 13 Aug. 2015, 2:02, newsroom.unl.edu/releases/2015/08/13/Study%3A+Driver%27s+ed+significantly+reduces+teen+crashes%2C+tickets.