The importance of Driver’s Education in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving, is because death is very scary as it’s so final! One minute your loved one is here, the next they’re gone. Death is a thing no one will be able to truly fathom, especially an unexpected death. Unfortunately, car crashes are becoming way too normal, and many are avoidable. Seeing young lives taken or changed is devastating. In 2022, in Ohio alone, there were 290 lives lost at the hands of young drivers. “Young drivers, under 24, are involved in a whopping 31% of all crashes in Ohio,” according to Young Riverman & Bolotin, Auto accidents. These numbers are high, and with more education and safety efforts, it is possible to reduce the high rates. We have to properly prepare more of our youth to get on the road before putting them behind the wheel.

Firstly, it is always good for one to start anything with a firm foundation. Like a house, the foundation has to be strong and impenetrable. A good driver has to fully understand the basics before even getting behind the wheel. A car can be a perilous weapon (intentionally or unintentionally),and is to never be played with or in. Having a good comprehension of the simple aspects of driving can take you a very long way. For example, knowing traffic laws, road signs, safe distance, avoiding distractions, etc. would be of great benefit to preparing to drive. Even the most simple, smallest errors could cost a life or cause irreversible harm. Everyone should be mindful of this. A lot of materials, rules, regulations, and so on are often looked down upon or past because they are seen as trivial or insignificant, but they are those little things that can save a life.

A skill is not attained overnight. It is something you have to constantly work toward and put effort into developing. Driving school, in this case, would be something you have to put effort into, but it is also something you will get knowledge out of. Driving isn’t easy, and it definitely isn’t a task to be taken lightly; however, taking Driver’s Education, in the long run, is an essential and beneficial not just for the student, but for others on the road and worth the effort. Driving school can cause healthy driving habits to form starting in the early stages, which can be more beneficial for road safety ultimately. Habits like following the designated rules of the road, signage, proper way to manage a four-way stop, learning a thing my mom talks about all the time getting the “BIG PICTURE” and even learning how to be a defensive driver as that training is available as well.

Driver's Education will help one grow in having responsible behavior, specifically at the younger ages that can last a life-time. Not everyone gets behind the wheel with the most responsible intentions, and that is not okay. Through your countless amount of learning hours, whether through classes, behind the wheel, or personal experiences, it is inevitable that one would possess a rather responsible attitude, and be conscientious when it comes to driving. After learning about the many lives lost due to a car and all the things that could possibly go wrong, it would make sense and be to the advantage of a new driver to be very prudent and attentive.

Putting a 15-17 year old through driver’s education could reduce risk while on the road, as the information is mandatory before getting on the road, making it fresh and easier to remember. It will be quite hard to lose all of the information you spent hours upon hours learning. Your muscle memory will be strong and prepared for the task of being a safe driver. In addition, it is healthy to attain some experience in harder things versus diving in head first. With your Driver’s classes, you will need a certain amount of hours of education, as well as time “behind the wheel, “ with a licensed professional regardless of how great your parents believe they can drive. During these ‘in car” sessions, you will be required to experience maneuverability, freeway, parking, etc.

Driver’s Education class teaches you about dangerous situations that can happen behind the wheel of a car and how to manage the dangerous situations safely. If you know what dangerous situations look like prior to putting yourself out there, you will be cognizant of what to look for and what to avoid. For example, you will learn that rain is the most dangerous weather to drive in, and I could use caution and try not to drive in it as much as possible since I know the danger of it, which could perhaps keep me out of an accident.

I learned from my mother that taking a driver’s education class has affected her in a very positive manner. She took a driver's education class in high school (education and vehicle operation) and passed the written test and maneuverability test the first time she took each; “I have a very good driving record, and receive a discount on insurance due to my positive driving history,” she tells me. If teenagers take the time, like her, to benefit from their time in driver's education, then they become less and less likely to engage in reckless driving behavior and reduce errors that can make them liable for an accident, and reduce their chances of causing death or injury.

In Conclusion, death is a very serious thing and should not be taken lightly, and unfortunately, whether intentional or unintentional, a car can cause death. I have always been taught that a car can be a weapon and should never be played with. Thoroughly learning about the road, what it takes to be a driver, the dangers of driving, and so forth can shape the driver I will be both now and in the future. I strongly believe that everyone (including myself) should have to take this class once in their lifetime and that it could possibly decrease the number of deaths caused by a car, and that is why I am hoping to secure this wonderful scholarship.