Defensive Driving

DMV Scholarship Essay, ‘Defensive Driving’

My name is Kara West, and I plan to attend Augustana College in fall, 2020 as a Psychology and Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies double major. As a current high school senior and I have a lot of experience as both a passenger and a driver. Numerous times, I have seen my friends and family, all good at operating their own vehicles, forget to pay attention to every other vehicle around them. Whether they’re glancing at their phone, messing with the radio, or just telling a story, they put too much trust in their driving skills and pay no mind to the drivers around them who may not have the same skills, or who may be distracted, themselves. When this happens, I take a moment to remind them and myself that there are huge amounts of people driving on the road with us every day, and all it takes is one mistake from them to affect our own safety. It isn’t enough to be a good driver. We have to think defensively and give our full attention to the road and other drivers so that, in the event that someone else makes a mistake, we are prepared to step up and potentially save lives by knowing what to do.

Most of the problems teens encounter while driving are a result of a lack of understanding. Operating a vehicle seems easy; put the car in drive, press the gas, steer, and you’re golden. However, actually driving a vehicle on the road around other drivers is much more difficult than this, and anyone sitting behind a wheel needs extensive education to understand this. The most important lesson to be learned in order to decrease driving deaths is best learned in a Drivers ed class, in the classroom and during supervised driving experience. This is the skill of defensive driving.

When there is a trained instructor with lots of experience in the car with a person, they serve as a second line of defense when it comes to awareness of the driver’s surroundings and what they should do. Even in the classroom, an instructor can remind students of all ages which situations to be aware of when it comes to other drivers on the road, like making sure no one is coming before proceeding at a newly green light, watching for vehicles trying to pass on two- and four-lane highways, any intersection where a driver might suddenly slow down, and especially unfavorable road conditions where others may drive recklessly. Knowing how to act in these situations as well as a driver’s own responsibilities, like going the speed limit and using turning signals, greatly reduces the chances of fatal crashes on roadways as drivers are skilled to handle either their own or another driver’s mistakes, which can happen at any time, and make quick decisions to stay safe.

I believe this message is crucial; I hope others do, too. Thank you for taking the time to read my essay.