Getting your drivers license is one of the first steps of independence in everyones teenage years. However to some, driving can be very scary. While driving can be scary it can be done by taking purcautions and making sure that you know how to operate vehicles the safest way, not only for the safety of ones self but the safety of the other drivers on the road. It is important to be a safe and educated driver to keep an individual safe on the roads, to keep others safe on the roads, and to ensure the road stays safe.
When I turned 15 years old and got my learners permit I was required to complete a road safety course that had to be completed before I could get my drivers license. At the time, I honestly thought it was pointless but I came to find out that there is a true purpose to taking a drivers safety course. Did you know that you have a higher chance of dying in a car crash then in a plane crash? Driving vehicles is a lot more dangerous than people think, which is why the educational safety courses that people are required to take before they get their drivers lisence are so vital. Having educational drivers on the road is very benfical in reducing the statistical number of deaths, as you learned the science behind car crashes, you realize that cars have more power then we think, even the little sudans you see driving in the road. Strict laws are placed on reckless drives because not only are reckless drivers at a higher risk of death, but they also put the lives of others at a high risk and the same concept goes with speeding. Speed limits are put in place for a reason. I know it’s easy to speed and going the speed limit is considered boring to some, but there is a purpose that the speed limit was placed at what it was. Being an educational driver can help one be more self concious about their driving habits and being self aware of driving skills in the presense of others can have a higher chance of increasing safety on the roads.
There are multiple ways and steps people can take to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, the first step being putting electronics down/away. In some newer vehicles you can now connect your phone to your car and that you can operate your phone (via phone calls, anwering text messages) absolutely hands free and being able to keep both hands on the wheel keeping both eyes on the road. Another way we can keep the death count down is by making sure that all drivers take updated safety test maybe everytime one gets their drivers lisences renewed. As an 18 almost 19 year old driver I have had some interesting stories while on the road, and yes, I have had a crash or two. To improve my driving for my safety and the safety of others I have learned to be more aware of my surrounds, look both ways before driving across an intersection, and at red lights (because some people run red lights!) putting my phone down and keeping both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road. If someone calls me I connect it to my car, put the phone down and talk to said caller through my cars radio system. These steps not only help be improve my safety and make me a better driver but it also improves other safety for other drivers, if you drive safely and follow the rules of the road then the safety others improves.
Being an educated driver is far more important than you think. There is always a purpose for traffic laws and education courses required to start driving. The moment you get behind the wheel of the car you are at a high risk. The stastical death as stated by the Driver and Traffic School said that an the average number of deaths in a vehicle in America was 34,000 people. That’s a pretty high number. As a young adult driver driving can be scary but it doesn’t have to be. The main importance when learning how to drive is to make sure that 1) your safe and 2) your comfortable. If your not comfortable when you drive the odds of you being focused on the road and safety is very low. The way to innovate the road is by making the road a safer place to be. So put your phone down, follow the speed limit, and enjoy your drive!