While many high school students are forced to attend drivers education classes, many of them don’t take it as seriously as they should. Drivers Education is an important class every high schooler or new driver should be required to take. While it seems silly that a class can help reduce the amount of deaths as a result of driving, it is completely true. It was not mandatory for me, but my parents wouldn’t let me not take it. My mother, a high school teacher, said there was no way I could get in a car without that course. After having taken it, I realize the value of it now, though. Learning to drive in a car alongside some of my classmates made me IMMEDIATELY realize how inexperienced we all really were. Our driving instructors were definitely some of the most courageous people I know. My lecture instructor was a pretty serious person, and continuously instilled the dangers of the road, showing video after video- some that I kind of wish I had never seen- to show us just how easy accidents can happen. Driver's education is an important step in any driver's journey to begin to understand different laws of driving, road signs, and how to behave as a driver.

There are many steps that can be taken to reduce the overall risk of driving and the number of deaths related or caused by it each year. One of the most crucial would be finding a way to stop people from driving while impaired by any kind of substance whether it's alcohol or some kind of drug. I know here in New York, tackling the issue of driving while abilities impaired has been a fight that has been a constant battle by our government officials, by our police departments, and, of course, by groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, generally made up of people who have suffered terrible losses due to drivers on the road driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Another issue that is extremely easy to avoid is distracted driving, especially when it is caused by a phone or other kind of electronic device. Even so, many people drive while they are distracted by their phones all the time. Lastly, one of the most common car crashes that are completely avoidable are crashes that are a result of road rage, from tailgating to cutting off drivers, to poorly weaving in and out of traffic. There are a lot of good reasons the laws have been made as they are, and, unfortunately, these laws have been developed over time in response to deaths on the road. Every instance listed above can cause crashes that are completely avoidable. To combat these issues, something that can be done is to make driver education courses mandatory for all prospective drivers no matter what their age is to ensure the safety of people on and off the road.

I have witnessed my family members driving irresponsibly, an example of this was my grandfather. He was an alcoholic who often drove irresponsibly, whether it was him driving drunk or driving at night even though he couldn’t see properly in the dark. He was one of the few lucky people that never hurt anyone else, although he did crash into empty parked cars or poles in parking lots. He was even arrested for drunk driving. He didn’t hurt anyone, but it put my parents through a LOT. My mom had to take so many days off work to take him to court, and it cost him a LOT of money. And this was a GOOD scenario for a result of drunk driving. The amount of stress and fear he put my parents through so often made me realize at a young age what a serious thing driving impaired was. My uncle also got into an accident from driving under the influence. He, too, didn’t hurt anyone, thank God. But, what he DID do was financially strap his whole family. They were so poor for years, and it was because of that stupid act of driving drunk. My mother was an EMT on an ambulance for about 10 years, then worked in the operating room at Stony Brook Hospital while she was going to school to be a teacher. She has always been so fearful of how often drunk driving incidents happen here on Long Island. For as long as I can remember, my parents would always make a point to me whenever we went out that I should always pay attention to whoever was driving and to see if that person was drinking. They always decided who would drink and who would drive, and make the point to me of what they were doing. I guess I could say it has been ingrained in me from birth how bad driving under the influence is. Through the mistakes of my family members, I know I will never drive drunk or under the influence of anything that can impair my driving.

There are many steps that I can take to ensure that I am a better and safer driver. Some of the most obvious are, of course, not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, especially when there are so many other ways I can get home, calling a friend or family member, or using an online service like Lyft or Uber. Those are only the most obvious ways, other ways are making sure that I am well rested before driving. I have heard many stories of my peers or complete strangers almost getting into an accident due to driving while they’re too tired and falling asleep at the wheel. Over all, in my family, we have a plan. My mother always says to plan for the worst so that I can avoid putting myself in a dangerous situation. My parents have made sure that I have access to driving services on my phone, and I know that, if I ever plan on drinking, I will plan for that- the way my parents have always done.