Simply
put, education allows one to drive. The mandatory classroom hours and
driving practice before receiving a level one license ensures that we
are capable, both physically and mentally, of taking the wheel. In my
state of Michigan, after we complete 30 hours of supervised driving,
we are required to undergo six hours of additional instruction
(Segment two) that prepares us to drive on our own. While the
information I learned was critical to my driving, my educational
experience was not what it was chalked up to be. I sat through
students vaping during my drives, typos on instructional videos,
uncontrolled learning environments, and boring presentations three
times a week. Worse, everyone I’ve spoken to agrees that their
experiences were lackluster.

Students
will only internalize the lessons of Drivers Ed if their
educational experience is positive. However, the uninspiring
presentation and plethora of disruptive students makes it no surprise
that there are plenty of irresponsible drivers. I’ve seen swerving,
texting, makeup application, and drifting—along with countless
other acts of careless behavior. This is not to say anyone is
perfect— I’ve definitely sped and slammed on the brakes before.
However, the frequency with which these behaviors occur, especially
among teenagers, indicates a systemic issue.

Interestingly,
we see a common trend amongst these incidents: all of the errors are
due to distraction and poor judgement. We’ve legislated against
these threats; however, these laws can only penalize after the
fact—they clearly fail to deter and prevent reckless driving.

The
first preventative solution that comes to mind is revamping Driver’s
Ed. The current system and presentation of the material is arduous.
For students to absorb the material, it must be presented engagingly;
however, my experience was one of boredom. Another angle reveals that
while we are constantly reminded of the material’s importance, we
can pass our written exams with 24 incorrect responses. Perhaps this
is because we will soon be supervised by our parents. In this case,
our classroom work is overemphasized—the time could be better spent
driving and gaining road experience.

On
the other hand, drivers make irresponsible decisions even with
successful Drivers Ed experiences and months of supervision. As
long as humans are driving, we are prone to our humanity and our
flawed judgements. Nevertheless, there is a solution for every kind
of driver: automated driving technology—cars that take the human
element out of driving. We cannot drive under the influence or text
and drive if we are not the ones driving.

Unfortunately,
completely automated roadways are in the future. Thus, we must each
reaffirm the dangers of driving and recommit to driving without
distraction—there is always room to improve. In my case, I need to
ensure that the radio and music don’t distract me from the road
ahead.


This
three pronged approach of improving education, redoubling
responsibility, and implementing automation is the most effective
route to ensuring the safety of our roads now and into the future.