Safety Behind the Wheel

Karleigh Evans

Driver education is a program for young individuals who wish to obtain their learner’s permit. According to Dr. Mohammadsoroush Tafazzoli, an assistant professor at the University of Washington State University, “the purpose of the drivers ed program is to promote safety for inexperienced drivers, especially teens” (Tafazzoli, “The Effectiveness”). Therefore, it is vital to new drivers that they receive proper driving lessons so that they will be prepared to drive on their own in the long run. Leslie Reed, a communications administrator at the University of Nebraska, says, “about 53 percent of the teens took a state-approved drivers education course to qualify for the permit. The remainder qualified by logging 50 hours of practice driving under the supervision of a parent or other adult. During their first year of driving, the group who took drivers ed had significantly fewer accidents and traffic tickets than the group that logged driving hours without formal driving instruction” (Reed, “Study”). This study that was preformed shows that teens who practice driving with their parents for 50 hours are more likely to be involved in a car accident than those teens who have taken drivers ed first. In order to improve driver education to ensure the safety of teenagers, Tafazzoli suggests making the program more challenging. A challenging driving program will help teens realize the importance of safety while in a motor vehicle and it will help teens become more informed about safety on the road. The university assistant professor also suggests for students to participate in hybrid courses as opposed to strictly online courses. An instructor will allow the student to ask questions and gain a deeper understanding of drivers ed which is more difficult to achieve when classes are taken strictly online. An additional suggestion is to attempt to master certain skills at home that relate to driving. Some examples are parallel parking, switching lanes, and driving on the highway.

I have never been in a car accident myself, however my observations of friends and family have shown how easy it is to be involved in an accident when the driver is distracted. A significant distraction in today’s world is cell phones. When a driver picks up his/her cell phone, the device is an easy distraction that can lead to a fatal accident. Following the speed limit is also a simple mistake that can put a driver’s life at risk. The first step to take when teaching others about road safety is to be an example. If I can show friends and family that I am a responsible driver, it will encourage the same action to be replicated by them. Following the speed limit and intentionally focusing on the road will ensure that I am performing my responsibilities as a safe driver. Not only looking out for yourself as a driver but also paying attention to your surroundings will be additional help when becoming a safe driver.

Works Cited

Reed, Leslie. “Study: Drivers ed significantly reduces teen crashes, tickets.” Journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2015, newsroom.unl.edu/releases/2015/08/13/Study:+Driver's+ed+significantly+reduces+teen+crashes,+tickets.

Tafazzoli, Mohammadsoroush. “The Effectiveness of Drivers ed and Information Programs in the State of Nevada.” Open Journal of Applied Sciences, vol. 5, no. 1, 2015, www.researchgate.net/publication/316637217_The_Effectiveness_of_Driver_Education_and_Information_Programs_in_the_State_of_Nevada.