The evening of September 30, 2018, started off like any other Sunday evening. My father picked me up from my mother’s apartment in Makiki, a quiet Honolulu suburb with very little traffic. Just moments later, as we discussed what to have for dinner, a car suddenly t-boned us from the left as it was pulling onto the street from an apartment driveway. The sheer force of the collision nearly knocked the rear wheel out of its axle, almost completely disabling our car. I thank God that nobody was hurt that day. It only took seconds for me to realize that we narrowly escaped a far more tragic outcome; had the car hit us a half second earlier, my father could easily have been killed from the impact. I had just started driving at the time and though I have always known to be alert and responsible behind the wheel, the accident underscored just how unpredictable other drivers can be, even in a quiet suburb away from busy traffic. Every single thing taught in driver’s education is crucial, and forgetting something as simple as yielding before pulling into a street can have tragic consequences when and where you may least expect it.

America is commonly known as the land of freedom, and few things better exemplify such freedom as the car. Whether in a bustling city or the quiet countryside, the car is a crucial element of nearly everyone’s lives that provides independence and mobility like nothing else. However, as I experienced firsthand in September 2018, driving certainly comes with great risk no matter where you are. For this reason, the importance of proper driver’s education to every motorist on the road cannot be overstated. Driver’s education is more than simply understanding the rules of the road or what various street signs mean. Rather, it involves learning how to be a responsible driver who is aware of their surroundings behind the wheel and being ready to appropriately react to anything in the safest manner possible. Time and time again, studies show that drivers who are well-educated are far less likely to be involved in car accidents. Whether you are a teen talking driver’s ed courses after school, or in your forties and have not driven in over ten years, proper driver’s education is a critical part in learning how to be a responsible driver and minimizing danger on the road.

Proper driver’s education is essential but hardly the only step in driver safety. If you drive a car manufactured within the last couple of years, there will likely be plenty of safety features such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, cameras aiding in reverse and lane changes, and seat belt warnings. Twenty years ago, almost no car had such features, making an accident much more likely. Though it cannot stop any accident from occurring, modern safety technology does result in fewer vehicle deaths and a vastly improved driving experience. In addition to vehicle safety features, public awareness of dangerous driving consequences can reduce irresponsible behavior on the road. Statistically, a third of all US car crash fatalities involves alcohol intoxication, and almost another third is caused by speeding. Both of these causes are easily preventable, and for most people in those stats all it takes is a realization of why such actions are dangerous.

I may not own my own car, but through several hours of driving both my father’s and friend’s cars I have certainly come a long way from my first driving lesson. It is one thing to be told how to drive safely and responsibly, but a completely different thing to actually be a good and safe driver on the road. I can be a safer driver, as well as encourage others to so, in many different ways. By frequently driving, studying road signs and symbols, and familiarizing myself with technological safety features, I can drive safely almost anywhere and use the vehicle’s technology to my advantage. I also know to keep my phone away to avoid distraction and stay away from alcohol and other substances while behind the wheel. This prevents me from endangering other people’s lives in addition to my own. Lastly, a key step I take is making sure my car is functioning properly and having maintenance done at the right times to minimize the risk of system failure while on the road. In conclusion, being a safe and responsible driver consists of several components, and there is no such thing as being too careful behind the wheel. Driver’s education may be only one of those components, but especially for young drivers, it is one of the most important.