Round 3: Driving Education 2024 - "It All Starts with You..."
It All Starts with You…
In recent studies, it has been shown the number of deaths that occur because of car crashes. 106 deaths per day, are caused by car crashes. 
That is why it is crucial to understand the importance of driver education, as it has viable results in reducing the number of deaths. Having a driver's education means that there is confidence, skill, responsibility, and most importantly, safety. Here is a story to capture the idea of these four elements.
My mother is an amazing woman. She has had her license for almost two decades now. And while she was hesitant to take out her license because she had minimum knowledge about the U.S., it was not like she had a choice. She needed a way to get to work and the only she was able to rely on to take her was my father but he was working in the opposite direction where she was offered a job, it did not help how I was a young infant and she also needed the extra money to provide me with the baby necessities. And it would have been hard to find a babysitter if she had to walk all over our growing city. So, she mustered up the courage to study for the exam and once she passed that, she exchanged any lingering anxiety she had to drive a vehicle confidently. “I had no reason to be scared of the road when I passed the exam, I am responsible for using what I have learned to make sure everyone is safe. OBEY THE LAW.” She tells me. She continued, that it was only a matter of time to build up her skills when it came to driving, but it is important to not feel fear while driving because that only ends up putting everyone in danger. And I can conquer, throwing myself under the bus, I was scared when I was driving the first few times once, I got my permit. Being scared ended up confusing other drivers when it was my right of way, taking too long at an intersection since I was nervous to step on the accelerator, etc. Now having my license, I got over this fear as it is not only my life that is on the road but also plenty of other people, everyone involved must be safe.
“The human life is important and extremely precious; we only get one.” -My mother.
Simply, it is not hard to drive an automobile. However, it is the steps in knowing how to operate a vehicle that can reduce the number of deaths. Here are some tips that have helped me when I first began:



Get to know where all your buttons are in your car



And what they mean




Get comfortable looking over your shoulder, blind spots



Can do this just by sitting in your car and practicing




Learn how to keep the velocity of your vehicle



Practice on the outskirts of the city


Or in city streets, when it is not rush hours




Always be sure that all mirrors are adjusted


HAVE SUPERVISION



They can provide feedback and be your second pair of eyes when first learning how to drive




These next tips may be useful to know, for the road or in general:



Regularly check the fuel tank



Important side note: Try to carry, at least, twenty to thirty dollars for emergency gas refuels




Ensure tire pressure is good


Keep the essentials up to date



Car tag


Registration


Insurance




Stay alert



With pedestrians


With bicyclists


With motorcyclists


Other cars


Objects on the road




Ensure there is enough space between you and the vehicle in front



Also, when stopping behind a vehicle, you need to see the tires



Especially if the vehicle tends to roll backwards






Use the left lane when passing another vehicle



Merge at a safe speed and distance from other vehicles


Always check your blind spots




ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELT



Along with the other passengers in the vehicle!




Taking these tips is a step towards lowering the number of deaths we currently have happening daily. I have only had one family member get into a car accident. She is alive and well, but she did break her pinky bone. That pinky is now slanted for the rest of her life, and she complains from time to time that it gets in her way when doing daily chores, especially when she uses her calculator for her accounting job. But it all could have been avoided if she and her friends did not recklessly drive. We are only given a life, we must treasure it, but it all starts… with you.