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.