In the United States, on average 34,000 people die within a year from car crashes. More than half of car crashes happen not by accident but for a reason. There are the occasional car accidents that occur because of weather conditions or someone could have hit a deer. However, it is more likely for a car crash to happen because of someone’s careless behavior. Whether people are texting, driving under the influence, or being in a car with distractive passengers, it doesn’t make accidents acceptable or reasonable. All of these can lead to car crashes. People don’t realize the importance of driver education and why it should be mandatory for all people. I believe there are many reasons why driving can be so dangerous, and this is partly because some may have never taken a driving education class, or they never paid attention. This shows why there are so many poor drivers that are the reasons for unfortunate deaths and car crashes.
Driver ed gives the chance for students to learn about driving and get tested to prepare for obtaining their license. It allows students to see real-life examples and consequences of drivers today. I know in my high school the class was mandatory, and every student had to take the course. I sat through that class every day for a semester and I learned so many helpful driving techniques that I still use today. I would have never learned the things I did if I didn’t take that class. I am only eighteen years old, but I like to educate myself on the importance of safe driving, and I believe everyone else should as well. If every person in the world took driver's ed, I truly do think the percentage of car crashes and accidents would decrease. Reckless and careless drivers are the ones who are uneducated about this situation.
A large number of deaths are caused by drinking and driving, or under the influence in some way. I have a story that happened to my family that has already made people open their eyes more and want to be more careful. I was thirteen years old when I heard a knock at the door of our home. I remember my parents opening the door and there stood a police officer. He had told us my older sister, who was nineteen at the time, had gotten in a car accident. It wasn’t just any car accident though, she was killed by a drunk driver. An innocent person like her who had so much life left to live was taken too soon because of a careless person. After my family and I had heard the news, everything went into a blur after that. We spent months and years mourning and grieving. We still are and will continue to grieve forever. After this, our entire lives shut down and fell apart.
It’s been five years since that night, and our lives are still not back to normal, it doesn’t get easier. I am almost the same age as my sister, Hannah, when she passed. I can never imagine not living this life anymore. There is so much I want to accomplish and I know Hannah did too. My sister was about to, and already had done great, impactful things in her life. After this tragic incident, my family and I do anything we can to support the families who have also lost a family member caused by a drunk driver. I will never support driving under the influence, and this was taught to a great extent in driver education. However, most people who don’t take the class aren’t aware of the danger and consequences of driving under the influence. This is why driver education can prevent more stories like mine from happening.
Promoting driver's ed can help yourself and others become safer drivers. You may think to yourself you don’t have time for another class, or the class won’t even benefit you because it won’t show up on your transcript. However, even just one person taking the class is another safe driver. It only takes one harmful driver and a few seconds for any accident to happen. Our country needs more drivers who are aware and promote safety on the road. To help, you can go to different events supporting families that have lost someone special from reckless driving. This can show people they aren’t alone, and more people will see this. Communities can get together and provide a driver's education class. Educate each other on the importance of safe driving. Learn, think, and ask questions before getting behind the wheel. All of these are steps and actions we should all take. Our world will be a safer place for everyone if we can all just be selfless, think about others, and take driver education classes. It won’t harm you, only benefit you. Be a good person in a world full of bad, and eventually, it may help the bad turn into the good.