Educating Through Experience

Drivers are only as safe as the quality of education that they have received. The importance of drivers ed is comparable to the importance of attending medical school. An educated doctor is a healer; an uneducated, or even poorly educated doctor is a danger to those that they interact with. Driving theory can only take you so far. Drivers do not only need to learn the rules of the road, they also need to learn how to handle a car and how to react in potentially dangerous situations. Many drivers pose a danger on the road simply because they have not been educated on how to drive safely. The key to reducing deaths on the road is to ensure that no driver is without a full knowledge of the danger posed by poor driving, the rules of the road and the practical experience to back this up. Practical experience with a qualified instructor is the best way to increase driver safety and reduce the risk of accidents. If we require students to take a minimum number of hours under the supervision of trained professional, then we ensure that no driver comes to the road unprepared and without a minimum standard of road knowledge. A comprehensive drivers ed prepares drivers to understand the consequences of their actions. Through practical experience drivers are able to put theory into context and learn how to anticipate a potential accident and stop it from happening. By engaging early with practical driving techniques, we can help instil drivers with road confidence and an instinctual awareness of their own limitations. I have had the fortune so far of not being involved in a serious accident, but I am aware that there have been some moments where things could have gone very differently. Moments where the experience of the driver sat beside me made all the difference. I remember one instance when I was in the passenger seat, we were driving at high speed when the car beside us moved to undertake without warning or indication. If my friend had not been checking their mirrors and had instruction about what to do in this type of situation then it is very likely that our cars would have collided and my story may be very different. What this experience taught me is that it isn’t always enough to just know the rules of the road or the basics of how to handle a car – knowing how to react and anticipate what other drivers may do is just as important. What we can all do to become safer drivers is to educate ourselves on the risks that we pose to others, educate others on basic road safety and make sure that we do not enter the road unprepared. You never know when someone else’s poor driving will put you in danger, but the day it does a good education may save your life.