Jeremiah Perez
Amundsen High School
10/6/2020
Driver Initiative
Drivers education is a necessary and important resource that benefits teens and generations to come. Teenagers between 15-20 years old are responsible for around 90% of crashes. This proves just how much drivers’ education impacts newly licensed teens as death rates would be far higher due to more inexperienced teens on the road. Drivers education demonstrates to teens early on that driving should be taken seriously by showing videos, and providing statistics. Proper education leads teens to take more precautions in order to avoid tragedies on the road.
There are a number of steps that can be taken to prevent more deaths related to driving such as harsher punishments for accidents caused by distracted driving . Smartphones have caused 27% of accidents related to distracted driving, most being teens. Texting requires the same amount of concentration needed for driving. Spreading awareness isn’t good enough because, according to https://www.personalinjurysandiego.org/ , 97% percent of teen drivers admitted that it's dangerous to text and drive but they continue to do so.
Alcohol/substance abuse is another major cause which often leads to speeding and recklessness, most ending in accidents. When driving, you need to maintain multiple tasks as you operate a moving vehicle: maintain a certain speed, pay attention to traffic, avoid possible hazards and more. People under the influence react and think slower so by the time they notice a green light is red, it’s often too late. Drivers education is a good step in the right direction when it comes to awareness for teens. If children are taught the dangers of drinking and driving then there’s a higher likelihood of responsible driving.
I have been in a major car accident early on in my life. This occurred in July 2012 on a Sunday when I was eight years old. My mom, step-dad and I had come from seeing a movie. After they parked, I took off my seatbelt and opened the door. As I exited, we were hit from behind and was flung from the car with the sliding door. Thankfully I wasn’t hit, but the impact from hitting the ground knocked the wind out of me. It wasn’t until after I threw up my movie snacks that I was able to breathe. I was bleeding from my mouth, arms, and legs. I had refused to go in the ambulance when it arrived, out of fear. After going home, I couldn’t move my body or get into a bathtub until 2 days after the incident. My mom lost a lot from the accident as well, previously having brain surgery. The car accident caused her recovery to go completely downhill. It wasn’t surprising when we found out that the person who hit us was in fact texting and driving.
The steps I take to be a safe driver are to stay educated and use my knowledge to help others. Knowing the dangers is key to preventing them as I can educate my peers on those potential dangers while learning from them as well.
Amundsen High School
10/6/2020
Driver Initiative
Drivers education is a necessary and important resource that benefits teens and generations to come. Teenagers between 15-20 years old are responsible for around 90% of crashes. This proves just how much drivers’ education impacts newly licensed teens as death rates would be far higher due to more inexperienced teens on the road. Drivers education demonstrates to teens early on that driving should be taken seriously by showing videos, and providing statistics. Proper education leads teens to take more precautions in order to avoid tragedies on the road.
There are a number of steps that can be taken to prevent more deaths related to driving such as harsher punishments for accidents caused by distracted driving . Smartphones have caused 27% of accidents related to distracted driving, most being teens. Texting requires the same amount of concentration needed for driving. Spreading awareness isn’t good enough because, according to https://www.personalinjurysandiego.org/ , 97% percent of teen drivers admitted that it's dangerous to text and drive but they continue to do so.
Alcohol/substance abuse is another major cause which often leads to speeding and recklessness, most ending in accidents. When driving, you need to maintain multiple tasks as you operate a moving vehicle: maintain a certain speed, pay attention to traffic, avoid possible hazards and more. People under the influence react and think slower so by the time they notice a green light is red, it’s often too late. Drivers education is a good step in the right direction when it comes to awareness for teens. If children are taught the dangers of drinking and driving then there’s a higher likelihood of responsible driving.
I have been in a major car accident early on in my life. This occurred in July 2012 on a Sunday when I was eight years old. My mom, step-dad and I had come from seeing a movie. After they parked, I took off my seatbelt and opened the door. As I exited, we were hit from behind and was flung from the car with the sliding door. Thankfully I wasn’t hit, but the impact from hitting the ground knocked the wind out of me. It wasn’t until after I threw up my movie snacks that I was able to breathe. I was bleeding from my mouth, arms, and legs. I had refused to go in the ambulance when it arrived, out of fear. After going home, I couldn’t move my body or get into a bathtub until 2 days after the incident. My mom lost a lot from the accident as well, previously having brain surgery. The car accident caused her recovery to go completely downhill. It wasn’t surprising when we found out that the person who hit us was in fact texting and driving.
The steps I take to be a safe driver are to stay educated and use my knowledge to help others. Knowing the dangers is key to preventing them as I can educate my peers on those potential dangers while learning from them as well.
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