As a senior in high school, my drivers ed class has taught me so much about how to drive safely and follow the rules of the road. In a world full of unpredictable weather, events, and people, driver education is a crucial component to ensuring the safety of everybody on the road.

Driver education teaches drivers so many valuable skills and lessons, both behind the wheel and in the classroom. The class teaches students important topics including reading gauges and signs, proper steering techniques, defensive driving, and other skills. These skills help prevent accidents and keep people safe from danger. One useful tip that has helped me was learning how to manage the space between my car and other vehicles on the road, allowing me to react to possible hazards while driving.

Increasing education on traffic safety, promoting initiatives to reduce driving under intoxication, and enforcing speed laws are some key ways to reduce the tens of thousands of lives lost from driving incidents every year. Driver education class teaches teenagers—who are more likely to get in car accidents than any other age group—to practice safe driving. This allows them to build better habits in the long run, decreasing the likelihood of getting into collisions and fatal accidents. At the beginning of the year, I was driving with my instructor when a car blew through a stop sign. Thanks to learning about defensive driving and the S.A.F.E. method, I could detect that the car wouldn’t stop, allowing me to stop in time and keep everyone safe.

Additionally, spreading awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs is vital to keeping roads safe. If people are in a situation where they do take alcohol or drugs, it is important to teach them what to do instead of driving themselves, such as assigning a designated driver or calling a ride-hailing company.

Another factor that can decrease the number of automobile accidents is enforcing speed limit laws. A few years ago in my town, a group of high schoolers were speeding and didn’t notice a drunk driver who drove through a red light. Unfortunately, the driver collided with their car, resulting in a fatal car accident. Of course, the collision could have been avoided if the driver hadn’t driven intoxicatedly, but it also could have been avoided if the students had not been excessively speeding. Speeding drastically decreases a driver’s reaction time and makes it harder to control
a vehicle. With greater speed, the force of impact drastically increases in collisions, leading to more injuries and fatalities than a vehicle traveling at a safer speed.

It's important to take measures to prevent future collisions involving speeding and reckless driving. One way this can be achieved is by increasing radar speed signs and speed lidar tracking, especially near areas like high schools where speeding is more likely. Like before, driver education would provide drivers with knowledge on how to be responsible and comply with traffic laws, especially when it comes to speeding. I remember seeing a video of the aftermath of a crash with a speeding car and the impact it had on their families and friends. It really stuck with me, and I realized the severe consequences of speeding and the importance of following speeding laws.

I believe that practice makes a better driver. In my state, drivers under the age of 18 have to complete 50 hours of driving practice, with at least 10 of those hours being at night. This helps student drivers gain relevant experience and develop good habits while driving with adult supervision. For me, practicing many hours of driving helped build my confidence and become more comfortable with driving under different weather conditions, during the dark, and other unexpected events.

Paying close attention in my driver's ed class and asking questions when unsure about a particular topic not only enforces my safety but also increases the safety of others around me. I also have to consider other factors that can affect my driving abilities and increase risk, like not getting enough sleep. Fatigue and lack of sleep severely affect reaction time and decision-making and can result in drivers falling asleep behind the wheel. To combat this, I try to get around eight hours of sleep and take naps when I’m sleep-deprived.

Driving is a privilege, and it’s important that all drivers understand the major responsibilities that come with driving to reduce deaths and injuries across the nation. Being negligent is a killer, but if we promote the education of drivers and safe driving, we can save lives.