Beyond the Driver's Seat: Education on Vehicle Operation Outside of Driver's Education Classes

During my junior year of high school, almost everyone in my class was involved in a car accident of some sort, myself included. Some accidents were my friends’ faults, though the other drivers were mostly to blame. Almost every collision ended in injuries (my brother still has chronic back pain from getting T-boned that year). The leading cause was the comfort of the people in the cars. Dozing off, texting, talking to passengers, running red lights, speeding; the list goes on. The universal causes, I have found, are inattentiveness and impatience. Two factors running rampant throughout society–not just driving.

Many times, I have been honked at or speedily passed by an impatient driver behind me. Nevertheless, I know through my experiences that by waiting an extra second or two to check the intersection--even if the light is green--to make sure no driver decides to barrel through, it is worthwhile to do so to avoid an accident like my friends'. In the same way, I know by silencing my phone in the car, I might miss a call or text, but I know that taking my eyes off the road can lead to catastrophic events. I learned these things before only in my driver's education class, where they always seemed like distant stories that could never happen to me. That held until all of my classmates began driving. It was only then that reality washed over me like the smell of gasoline at the pump. The truth stung, heavy on my lungs and burning my eyes. I wanted to turn away from it, but it was also necessary for me to face. 

It came with a call from my brother. I cannot recall where he was driving, but I vividly remember the pain seeping into his voice. He had been driving at night, not intoxicated, only tired. His attempts to stay awake by playing loud music were not enough, and he eventually closed his heavy eyelids for a second too long. His car was T-boned. Both doors on the driver’s side smashed. He was very awake after that, adrenaline and pain coursing through him. He visited the doctor the next day, who revealed his slight concussion and herniated disc in his lower back. My brother began seeing a physical therapist. He continued in physical therapy for about eighteen months, and is still in pain more than periodically. All because he was just a bit too tired.

Education is the first step. I recall my own driver’s education course being long and boring, every student just itching to pass, earn their permit, and get on the road. While it is important to ensure that young drivers are adequately equipped for the road ahead in a single course, education on driving should extend beyond the classroom. Death tolls ought to be mentioned in health seminars. Safety laws in government classes. The past of cars and driving should be explored in history courses. Each of these reinforces that in handling a vehicle, real lives and consequences are at stake. As such, the driver is much more likely to consider the facts and their effect on the number of deaths from driving-related accidents. It is not something only for those learning to drive to consider, but the experienced driver as well. I think that those who have driven for a longer amount of time are also capable of slipping into the laziness of comfort. Resources must be made available in public spaces: parking garages, banks, post offices, and more to ensure that ignorance does not become acceptable. Ignorance leads to laziness, which in turn leads to catastrophe.

By being educated, drivers can understand the gravity of the situation we are faced with each time we step into a vehicle. In staying educated and attentive, we can prevent accidents through our actions, whether that includes leaving our phone in the bag and silent, practicing defensive driving tactics, or educating others on the risks even as a passenger. In the current education landscape, it seems difficult to attempt teaching drivers the risks. Our news and social media feeds are oversaturated with the negativity of tragedies, causing a desensitization and apathy to the problems. Effective education appears exhausting and constantly in need of change to grab the attention of the reader. I am not a teacher. Nor am I an expert on learning. I am, however, a student who tries to be a safe driver. Part of the education on safety is the peer attitude towards the subject. Drivers (no matter their ages) must look beyond what everyone else is doing and toward the benefit of themselves and those around them. This is what it takes to make safer drivers. We must advocate for resources and education. It begins in our communities.