How to Rule the Road

It’s your 16th birthday. Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for. Today is the day you get your license! This moment which has seemed so distant is finally here and you couldn’t be more excited. But, because of the excitement, you haven’t put much thought into the responsibility associated with driving.

Every year an average of 34,000 Americans lose their lives behind the wheel. Negligence on the road is a major factor in this enormous number. While many circumstances cannot be controlled when driving, for example, the weather, negligence is one trait that can be. By participating in a drivers ed course, you have the opportunity to absorb crucial information that can aid in the prevention of fatal accidents. The more knowledge drivers have of the rules and regulations of the road, vehicular operations, and traffic maneuvers, the safer the roads will be. It is no coincidence that 16-year-olds have the highest crash rates; they are inexperienced and unaware of common knowledge among veteran drivers. A driver’s education course will eliminate both of these factors and provide students with classroom instruction covering topics from drug and alcohol abuse to interstate driving and will allow students to practice driving with a trained instructor in the vehicle.

The best step to be taken in reducing driver fatalities is not only taking a drivers ed course but is the step taken to eliminate distracted driving. Distracted driving can be eating while driving, texting while driving, and even listening to the radio too loud. All of these actions result in a minimal focus on the task of driving in comparison to the distracting action.

One of the most prominent examples of distracted driving I have witnessed is texting and driving. It is an epidemic taking over teen drivers in the US as mobile communications become more advanced and accessible than ever. A prime example of someone in my life who texts and drives is my older sister. Countless times I had warned her about the dangers of texting driving, but it took her totaling her car to accept the truth of what I had been telling her.

To me, the best way to make the roads a safer place is to do what I had done with my sister: spreading awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. There will be fewer fatalities on the roads as a result of more focused and knowledgeable drivers. In addition to spreading awareness, I think accountability is equally important. Having someone there to remind you of the importance of safe driving will help you practice what you preach.

So now that you’re leaving the DMV with a fresh ID, remember; you aren’t the only one on the road. Stay focused on the true purpose of having a driver’s license: driving!