In the drivers seat

Driver education has the most up to date laws for the state you are living in. This helps you be more prepared for the road than if only someone like you parents were teaching you because they most likely got their licenses years ago and not only may some of the laws changed but they also probably forgot some of the laws of the road. My drivers education was weeks long and included multiple classes of instruction. The session I signed up for makes you wait until you are 14 and a half to take the class and 15 years old to take the test to get your permit. The things I enjoyed about drivers education was being able to take the class with one of my friends which made the experience more enjoyable. Being able to have instructors who are easy to connect with also made me more confident and exited to learn how to drive. Which means your brain has more time to develop before you are on the road driving. The classes are not only teaching you about how to drive on paper but also showing students how to drive in real life through in person experiences. The lesson I took on the road went through all different types of roads and situations, including things like interstate driving, neighborhood driving, parallel parking, and learning less common types of intersections like round abouts. When I first got my drivers permit, I started off driving around the roads that had slower speed limits around my house and gradually went on roads with higher speed limits and farther away form my house as I gained experience and knowledge about driving. The steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths while driving are, not using a phone while driving, going the speed limit, using your turn signal, listening to music at an appropriate volume, wearing a seatbelts, using backup cameras and rear view mirrors, and practicing during inclimate weather. Taking all of these precautions help you build skill, confidence, and patience while behind the wheel. I was once in a fender bender while I was at a stop light and was distracted taking off my hoodie and accidently took my foot off the brake and bumped into the car in front of me. Although nobody was hurt and no cars were damaged in the accident it helped wake me up to how quickly and easily something can happen on the road. This kind of shook me because I knew that the statistics of teenagers getting in car accidents are very high and I really wanted to challenge that by driving extra careful. This goes to show that even though I thought of myself as a careful driver I still got in an accident. Some steps I can take to become a better and safer driver are taking a moment before I start my car to make sure at the font of my mind are the goals of making it to my destination safely as well as everyone else. Something I do not have to do very often while driving because I own my own car is adjusting things like the mirrors and the seat before I start the car but if I am ever driving some one else's car like one of my parents vehicles, I make sure to adjust all of those things before I start the car. Another thing that can be done to improve safety while driving a car is making sure your shoes are tied before you start the car so you do not accidently get you feet tangled up when needing to press the brake or gas pedals. When larger vehicles like semi trucks are near you vehicle I think it is ideal to stay closer to the side of your lane that is farther away from the larger vehicle because they are known to do things like sway back and forth. Driving in things like snow and rain can be dangerous because of how it interacts with the road and the tiers of your car, making it more slippery or impairing you vision of what is around you car. these things are especially common in the state of Colorado where I live. Limiting the distractions while driving like loud music, phones, or even eating something. I am grateful for the opportunity you have given me to reflect on my road safety and the ways I drive because my driving does not only impact me but all of the other drivers around me.