Drivers’ education is the first peek most teenagers have into the world of driving. Being able to drive is one of the things that teenagers look forward to. This is the big first step into the adult world that they get, but sadly, most people who go through drivers training don’t pay attention. When I went through drivers training, I found it boring and repetitive. Not that I failed to pay attention, but the way the information was presented was not easy to understand and there was little instruction other than reading the slides from my instructor. While this is not always the case, I think this is a problem that needs to be addressed within the driver’s education system. Now I am not suggesting that we try to make drivers’ training cooler and hipper for the kids. I am asking that maybe we take more time to look at what the curriculum includes and decide what the best information and a better way to explain it. I also think that there are things to add to the curriculum of driver’s education. I am lucky that my parents taught me how to jump a car, but not many parents show their kids this anymore.
Most importantly, drivers’ education needs to teach kids how to drive responsibly. I have seen friends of mine get into car accidents because the other person is high or on drugs, and my friend was lucky to make it out of that accident. This is the part that makes me really think about what drivers training is supposed to be. I have also seen the effects of driving recklessly, especially when someone is extremely angry. In that case I did not get into any accidents but there were a few times that scared me when they were driving. While drivers’ training cannot stop people from driving recklessly, I think more of the consequences of driving under the influence or recklessly would help some of the youth of today. I never saw what happens when cars get hit in collisions in drivers’ education, and I think if I did then I would be more careful. Showing images of car accidents to teenagers may seem like a more brutal approach to the subject, but I have seen what witnessing accidents can do to people.
Another important thing to consider alongside drivers’ training is the awareness of what can happen when driving under the influence. While most young drivers don’t ever think they will be the one to drive under the influence, it happens. We need to stop avoiding the topic of young drivers on drugs or alcohol, because it is a real problem. Yes, it is illegal but that doesn’t mean they don’t do it. Driving under the influence almost lost my best friend’s life, and it wouldn’t have been her fault. She was hit by someone under the age of 18 who was on a substance, and it totaled her car, and severely hurt her wrist and knee. Seeing this happen makes me realize how much more the driver’s education system needs to speak out about these issues. People are more likely to die in a crash involving someone under the influence. What I propose to do is to integrate the drugs and alcohol awareness into drivers training. This should be a part of the topic of accidents, which can be a grave reminder of why driving safely is important.
Some steps that people who are already out of drivers training are to realize the signs of when someone is not suitable to drive. There is a plethora of circumstances that can lead to someone being unfit to drive, such as tiredness, anger, and general emotional instability. When these things are present in a driver, they need to slow down, try to either calm down or wake up, and if they cannot do so they should not drive. There have been numerous cases where I have taken the wheel for someone who either was tired or angry, and I believe doing that saved our lives. I know full well that if everyone on the road is alert, the roads would be a safer place to drive on.
Being safe while driving should be the number one priority of drivers training and people behind the wheel. Those who do not understand this concept will learn the hard way, and sometimes the hard way isn’t always easy. This is why learning to drive and going through drivers training courses are crucial to driving safely.