Real Life Responsibility

Driver Education Initiative 2019 -  Real- life Responsibility

Emma Jaswal

From the time I was a little girl, I have always been excited to gain the freedom that driving a car would provide me with. At that time, I had no idea that driving a car is a major responsibility, with a lot of preparation. In all my daydreaming, it never occurred to me that there was so much to learn and practice before I could safely sit behind the wheel and drive away. Today, I will be explaining the steps I took to gain the responsibility to become a smart and safe driver.

Technology has become more and more widely used for a variety of things in the twenty-first century. Before taking my G1 test, I discovered an app that would teach me the rules of the road, and the signs that I would encounter while driving. I was committed to learning what I needed to know to become the best driver I could be and used this app to help me practice almost daily. “G1 Test Genius”, the app that I used, has aided many other people become aware of the rules of the road than I had even realized. This app has had over ten thousand downloads and has made about five thousand dollars. It has many five-star ratings and many success stories have been shared because of its use (1). The many positive comments and ratings on this app, and even my own experiences with it, showcases the importance of education for soon to be drivers. The app serves as an extremely helpful resource to gain and even refresh your knowledge.

Another extremely useful resource that I used to gain knowledge about safety on the road was the in-class drivers ed that I took. I took this even before I had even gotten behind the wheel, and it was a great way for me to realize how much responsibility I would have while driving. Taking this course was a great decision for me and is for everyone learning to drive. Drivers who don’t take their drivers ed are 75% more likely to get a ticket, 24% more likely to be involved in a crash with a fatal injury and 16% more likely to get into an accident than drivers who take the course (2). This shows that taking the time out of your day to become more educated can save lives. I have personally never been involved in a car accident when one of my friends or I was behind the wheel.

Once I had gained all the knowledge I needed to be successful on the road, I started taking my in-car driving lessons, where I learned how to drive from a professional. I think that learning from a professional rather than a family member or friend is a very smart choice to make. My driving instructor was very experienced and taught me everything correctly, whereas when one of my parents taught me, it’s likely they passed their mistakes on to me. Also, when I did drive for my parents, they seemed to have opposite ideas about how I was driving!  It was very confusing, and somewhat frustrating. I also tried my best to practice driving as well as my parallel parks as often as I could. According to professionals, “Deliberate practice was a strong overall predictor of success in many performance domains, and not surprisingly, people who report practicing a lot generally tend to perform at a higher level than people who practice less” (3). I guess we don’t say practice makes perfect for nothing! Interestingly, as I did get better as a driver, I became more aware of how complacent other drivers, including my parents, become after they’ve been driving for a while. 

Now, I get to do what I had dreamed of when I was young.  I can get in the car and drive, confidently and safely. I have the ability and freedom to drive wherever, and whenever I need.  (I still have to ask for the car keys, though.) Overall, I think that I took many important steps in becoming a safe and responsible driver, and they have definitely paid off! 

Sources

“G1 Test Genius Ontario - Revenue & Download Estimates - Apple App Store - Canada.” Sensor Tower, https://sensortower.com/ios/ca/elegant-elearning/app/g1-test-genius-ontario/510568507/overview. (1)

University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “Study: Drivers Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets.” Study: Drivers Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets | News Releases | University of Nebraska-Lincoln, https://newsroom.unl.edu/releases/2015/08/13/Study: Drivers ed significantly reduces teen crashes, tickets. (2)

“Does Practice Really Make Perfect?” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 16 July 2014, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140716123835.htm. (3)