In the Driver's Seat

Driver education is an important part in reducing the number of deaths created by accidents. Teaching kids when they first learn to drive rather than after they have been driving a while is extremely important. If you do not teach them of this importance right away, then a child could drive recklessly and either be the death or create a death. A major step that can be taken could be that kids learn about this as a part of their course when taking driver’s ed. When I was learning how to drive, I was only taught the parts of the car, and the rules of the road. I believe this should be another section within driver ed. Even though it is obvious how important this subject is, some kids do not realize how common or easily this happens. I believe another step that should be taken is parents instilling in their children how important this is, both by telling them and setting a good example. I have recently had the experience of having a friend drive irresponsibly that did not end well. Two of my friends were driving on to the highway when a tractor trailer was coming up to their stop sign, but my friend thought it was smart to try and beat the tractor trailer. The passenger ended up being ejected from the pickup truck and died. My friend will now have to live with the fact that he killed his best friend for the rest of his life. This all happened the night before my graduation this past year. Not only do these things affect immediate family, but also close friends and the ones you haven’t talked to in a while. I truly believe the steps that I myself can take to help this problem as a young adult are few, but I will do all I can. I believe step one would be to share this story of my friend to all I can, so that way they know how easily this happens and the effects it has. The second step I believe I can take would be to inform everyone taking driver’s ed how to not drive irresponsibly and be a safe driver that way we are saving more and more lives.