Driver education is important in many ways. One of the most important ways is reducing the number of deaths in car related accidents. By taking drivers ed people and young drivers can learn the different ways to be safe on the road. These ways can include safe and defensive driving habits, traffic laws, rules of the road, sharing the road with motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
By learning safe and defensive driving habits people can be prepared for things that can happen behind the wheel whether it be an animal jumping out or weather changes. Everyone on the road needs to follow the laws and the rules so everyone can get home safe. The most accidents happen when a car hits a pedestrian or motorcyclist.
Steps that can be taken are, one learning the ways of the road, not driving when it is icy or pouring so hard visibility is low. Wearing a seat belt so if an animal hits the car or an accident does happen then you can be safer and not fly through the windshield. Not speeding and weaving in between cars on the highway. Following the laws of red lights, stop signs, yield signs can stop many car crashes, even in small towns people run red lights and run into cars hurting or killing people.
. I have been lucky enough to have not even been in a car accident however I have had a couple close calls while in the passenger seat. Once with my dad at a three way stop, which is known for accidents, we were turning right off of the main road. The car turning left onto the main road didn’t look for other cars and ran right into the car behind us. My heart has never beat so fast as it did in that moment thinking that if we were that car we could have gotten hurt. Another time with my mom a car was turning onto a back road and a car came into our line to drive around the turning car, they hit the front bumper of our car but my mom was backing up seeing it coming so it was not as bad as it could have been. Also in my town there is a well known case of a pedestrian being hit and killed by a car, the pedestrian was crossing the road to get her mail, it was dark and she was wearing black and could not be seen. Someone I know used to text and drive but I started taking their phones and having them tell me what they need typed so they don’t get in a wreck.
Steps that I take when I get behind the wheel to be a safe driver is I put my phone on silent and put it in the glove box or passenger seat. I make sure that my seatbelt is on and is tight enough. I make sure that I have two hands on the wheel, if it is raining/snowing I make sure that I go slower to be safe and make sure that I stay on the road. I am a scared driver anyway so I make sure that I am checking my mirrors and am staying in between the lines. Before I even get in the car I make sure that the oil is good, the tires are blown up, the blinkers work, headlights work, brakes work, I make sure the gas cap is tightened and closed. I currently have my learners permit but before I get my license I will go through the five hour course and make sure that I take in as much information as I can so I will be safe on the road.
When I’m not driving I will be safe on the sides of the roads too. Wearing bright colors when it is dark and making sure I have a light so I can be seen and drivers will have time to give me space to walk. Walking opposite of traffic and making sure to walk on the curb while the car is coming. Make sure any dogs I have don’t run into the road and make sure that kids stay off the roads. It is easy to get distracted when you are driving but it can lead to death or someone getting badly hurt. It is important to keep your eyes on the road so you don’t have to live with the fact that you may have hurt someone while driving.