I personally never took Driver’s Education due to financial constraints, but I am in full support of all those who can take it. In this short essay I will be discussing the importance of Driver’s Education(Hereon as Driver’s Ed.) and reducing the number of driver deaths, the steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, my personal experience with unsafe drivers, and the steps I can take to be a better driver.
Starting off with taking Driver’s Ed. to reduce the number of driver deaths. A study by The University of Nebraska-Lincoln says, “"Teens taking driver education are less likely to be involved in crashes or to receive a traffic violation during their first two years of driving," the researchers concluded. "Because teen crashes and fatality rates are highest at ages 16-18, these reductions are especially meaningful. Driver education appears to make a difference in teen traffic outcomes at a time when risk is highest."” This is verified data that shows how to take Driver’s Ed. can reduce student deaths on the road at the age where they are most at risk. According to another study by IIHS-HLDI, 55% of teen deaths in 2022 occurred when they were in the driver's seat. It is unclear how many of these were students who had taken Driver’s ed, but if we use both of these studies we can assume that it is not a majority.
Next, I will be discussing some tips to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. The top 3 causes of driving deaths are attributed to drunk driving, drowsy driving, and distracted driving. The easiest way to combat drunk driving is to not overindulge and call an Uber if you have been drinking at all. Drowsy driving also has similar ways to avoid it. Distracted driving is simple, but hard to resist. Some ways that I find useful to avoid my phone while driving is to type in my directions before I get going. Another is to have a playlist made and cued up so that I do not have to change my music while driving. If I have a passenger, then I have them control my music and directions so that I can focus on driving. My phone is also put into Do Not Disturb mode while I am driving so that I do not get message notifications while I am busy driving. These are just some tips that I have used to keep myself and my passengers safe.
Now, I want to share my personal experience with unsafe driving. I have 4 older siblings who are all driving. Only 2 of my older siblings have taken Driver’s Ed. My oldest sister did not take Driver’s Ed. and she is one of the most unsafe drivers I know. She regularly has speeding violations and has had trouble getting insurance due to this. My oldest Brother did take Driver’s Ed. and is a good driver. He hasn’t had any major traffic violations and has never been in a crash. The other sibling of mine that has taken Driver’s ed, took it because he has severe ADHD and additional classes were needed to make my mother feel safe with him driving. He is a very safe driver. He has only been involved in one traffic incident that was not attributed to him. Driver’s Education helped him immensely. My other brother did not take it because he didn’t need any help. He tends to speed, but has not been involved in any traffic violations. I have not taken Driver’s Ed. due to financial problems, but I studied hard before I took my permit test. I have not had any traffic violations or crashes, which I am very proud of.
I have already shared some strategies that I have used to become a better driver, but I would like to share the reason why I do these. I do this not only to keep myself safe but to keep my passengers safe. I usually drive my partner around now, but I also drive my family around regularly. Before that I drove my little sister Mako around. She usually just wanted to go out to eat, but I also drove her to school everyday. Living in my area, driving can be hazardous and I had to work hard to keep us safe during these times.
In conclusion, safe driving takes all of us. We all need to work hard to keep everyone on the road safe. Driver’s Ed. is a good way to prepare young drivers for the conditions on the road and I would support anyone who has interest in becoming a good driver to take it.