Focused Behind the Wheel

Lael Heisey

Age 19

Focused Behind the Wheel

When I was in fourth grade, I was playing in my front yard with a few of my neighborhood friends when we heard a thunderous and startling sound. I remember my mom frantically running outside to make sure my friends and I were okay, and the neighbors fearfully running to their windows and front lawns. When we looked down the street, we saw that a man in a truck ran directly into the neighbor's mailbox and into their front yard. After conversing with the man, we found out that he was a truck driver who worked all night and fell asleep while driving. Although it was purely an accident, this incident showed me the immense responsibility that comes with driving. The man, knowing he had not slept all night, should have waited and rested before stepping foot into the driver's seat. Lucky enough, no one got injured; however, with proper drivers ed and accountability, crashes and situations like this can be minimized.

Driver education is taught through programs and classes in order to prepare new drivers by providing them with the knowledge they need to obtain their license. Drivers ed provides individuals with the resources and tools needed to gain an understanding of the numerous driving rules and laws, leaving drivers with the responsibility of following them and being safe. According to DmvEdu.org, in the span of two years more people are killed from car accidents than were killed in the Vietnam war, showing the importance of driver education. In order to reduce the amount of deaths related to driving, there are numerous steps that can be taken.

One measure that can be taken to reduce the amount of deaths related to driving is increasing the emphasis on awareness and choices. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims that in 2017, 3,166 people were killed in car crashes from distracted driving. Distracted driving can entail things such as texting, being under the influence, eating, being tired, and more. Although drivers ed courses inform people about the types of distracted driving and their consequences, to improve the impact these programs can include more about the ‘how’. For example, rather than simply stating not to text and drive, drivers ed courses can give participants alternative options like pulling over to park at a safe area if sending a text is urgent. The ‘how’ to prevent distracted driving would provide future drivers with ways to avoid distracted driving, and it would place more pressure on potential drivers because there would be no excuse to drive while distracted.

In order for me to become a safer driver, I plan to think more about my cognitive state before driving. If I am tired, overwhelmed, upset, etc. I should take a moment to decompress before getting behind the wheel. Additionally, I will continue to remind myself not to get distracted by things like texting and eating while driving. Overall, I believe that drivers ed courses are pivotal to reducing danger on the roads.