Driver’s
Education courses are important for many reasons, but I believe the
most important is to educate new drivers with safe and effective tips
to ensure they are practicing safe driving habits for the sake of
their well-being as well as those in which they will share the road.
Driving a car comes with a lot of responsibility - you must be alert,
defensive, and aware of your surroundings at all times. Car accidents
are one of the leading causes of death in teens, so it is crucial the
drivers ed programs are teaching their students not only
the statistics behind accidents, but how to prevent them. Good
practices while driving include minimizing distractions (such as
turning your cellphone off and keeping it away from arms reach),
always keeping two hands on the wheel, frequently checking your
mirrors, and maintaining a safe distance between yourself and other
cars on the road.
When
I was 11 years old, my family was involved in a roll-over accident
that changed my life. While no one was seriously hurt, we were all
very shaken from the experience - especially myself. Since I was the
oldest, my mom had instructed me to sit in the passenger seat that
night. I remember her double-checking to make sure the three of us
had all buckled our seat belts, as she knew the roads were going to
be slick. The passenger seat gave me an all access pass to a
whirlwind of our Blazer rotating into the ditch and the windows
crunching on the snow. It’s truly an experience I’ll never
forget. While it was one of the worst days of my life, I am very
grateful for the experience as no one was hurt and it taught me a
great deal about being a safe driver to minimize the frequency of
accidents like that one. In fact, I think of that February night
almost every single time I get in my car or someone else’s. My
friends often find my suggestions to put away their phones and keep
their eyes on the road annoying, but they know I have been through
something that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I try to help them to be
safe for their sake as well as others on the road. You truly never
know when an accident will happen, but you can certainly prevent one.