Driver's Education Scholarship

As a high school student, getting your driver’s license can be the highlight of your year. It’s an exciting time when you are able to obtain more independence from your parents and are able to go out with your friends in a more accessible way. However, many students decide to abuse this privilege as they tend to speed through streets and show off to their friends how cool they are. This typically ends in the result of a car crash, which can further lead to severe injuries and even death. I can relate to these accidents in the form of how families and friends grieve when tragedies happen to loved ones. Through my personal experience, I have a cousin who loved to drift in the city of Medellin with her close friends. One night, she was driving back home from one of her friend’s house and had to go around a mountain since many mountains have not been cut through in order to connect certain streets. As she was speeding down this mountain, she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The steering wheel had impaled her and caused internal bleeding. Thankfully, a truck driver was passing by and saw my cousin unresponsive. She was quickly rushed to the hospital where they were able to save her life and have no long-term repercussions. My cousin was very lucky to survive this car crash although not many people run with the same luck. 

It is important for drivers ed to be implemented and reinforced not only in high school, but college as well and other institutions. Drivers need to know that a good driver is not a fast driver, but a careful driver who is not only aware of themselves, but of others as well. Drivers ed teaches those that being intoxicated and driving is never safe because not only can you ruin your life, but others around you. It is beneficial to drive safely on the roads because innocent lives have been lost due to reckless drivers. Despite the fact that not everyone has this mindset, a way to prevent intoxicated people from driving is to order them an uber or a taxi, that way everyone stays out of danger. However, it is inevitable to hope that people make the right decisions for themselves. That is why it is fundamental to be a responsible driver while in the car driving yourself or when others are in the car with you. As a beginner driver, I don’t have fast enough reflexes yet, so whenever I am driving, I am constantly looking at my side view mirrors and rear-view mirror in order to observe my surroundings. Also, turning on directional is necessary when turning onto a street because it lets the driver behind you know where you’re planning on going. My family has had many experiences involving car accidents, so I am more aware and cautious when I am driving.