Back in 2018, once I had received my permit I was practicing driving in parking lots with my dad, and then two days later I was driving on the streets. Did I feel ready to take on the crowded streets? No, not really. However, I refused to take a drivers ed course because I wanted to believe that I was ready enough to get my driver’s license. Looking back, I realize how selfish and inconsiderate it was of me to be more concerned with getting my driver’s license as soon as I could so that I could drive myself to college the following semester. Instead of steadily and safely learning to drive through drivers ed, I chose what I thought was the quickest path to getting my license and nearly got into what could’ve been several accidents.

It is important to encourage drivers ed, especially since I felt constantly pressured to be a fast learner by my peers. Not everyone has the patience to be a teacher, but when learning something as important as driving, it’s necessary to have a patient and calm teacher who will reduce any anxiety and pressure a new driver undergos.

About a year ago my mother and I were rear ended by a young woman at a traffic light. The lady claimed she only looked down and didn’t notice that our car was stopped, but just a few seconds of stolen attention led to an accident. Aside from safely learning through drivers ed, it’s just as important that once someone becomes an official driver, that they continue to practice good driving habits for life. Cellphones are a major factor of dangerous distractions. Sometimes it’s not only texting that is dangerous, but any contact with a phone that diverts a driver’s attention whether it’s just changing a playlist on Spotify or using navigation.

One of the best ways to help others be safer drivers is to tell them what mistakes they made or things they shouldn’t be doing. Also, ways that I help whenever I’m a passenger is by serving as a second pair of eyes or if they need to access their phone, I’ll do the task for them to help limit their distractions. I find this helpful because whenever my friends return the favor, it really does help in case there’s something I don’t catch or if I need help with directions. Clearly, there won’t always be a passenger to help the driver out, but this is where we must all be responsible and remember that driving in a rush is not worth potential injury. For instance, if a drink spills or if the driver needs to check their phone, then finding a spot to pull over is a much safer option than multitasking. Or rather than fiddling with the phone while driving and entering a location, just do it before driving. Having a license does not mean anyone’s driving is perfect enough that little distraction can’t cause any damage.