Before getting behind the steering wheel on the open road, it is necessary to get a driver's license. If the prospective driver is under 18, part of that process is going through the driver's education to make sure that the prospective driver is aware of how to drive safely. I’ve gotten my license, my sister Henya got her license, and my other sister Esti got hers as well. We have all done driver education, we’ve all passed, and we’ve all totaled a car. Although driver’s education is important in reducing deaths by cars, it is only when those lessons are practiced by drivers that driver’s education is fully effective. Even though driver education outlines how to avoid accidents in the following scenarios, the most common causes of car accidents are: distracted driving, poor car maintenance, and bad weather.
The first time my family got into a major accident was with me. I was not at fault, but the other driver was texting and driving. I was getting off of the highway and was stopped at a red light, while waiting, another car came off the exit, didn’t slow down, and didn’t see the clear red light ahead because she was on her phone. With the sudden smash from behind, my little Toyota Corolla spun into four other cars. It became a 6-car accident, airbags deployed, and cars totaled. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the whole accident could have been avoided if the offending driver was not on her phone. Drivers’ education scrutinizes texting and driving, yet a lot of drivers are watching their phones when they should be watching the road. A 2024 survey reports that 47% of drivers admit to texting and driving, and imagine how many don’t admit it. It is further estimated that 1.6 million car accidents, along with 3,000 deaths, happen annually because of texting and driving. If drivers stopped using their phones, had passengers texted for them instead, or even pulled over and came to a complete stop before texting, the roads would be a lot safer. I can implement this in my life as a driver and a passenger and encourage my friends and family to keep both hands on the wheel and off their phones, reminding them of the dangers involved and the alternatives mentioned above.
The second time my family got into a major car accident was with my sister Henya; she was technically at fault; she tried to brake, but the brake pads weren’t properly maintained, resulting in a rear-end collision. She was closely following a friend when the friend ahead came to a sudden stop because of a deer on the road, immediately, my sister slammed the brakes. However, the brake pads were supposed to get replaced the following Wednesday, so when she tried to brake so suddenly, she ended up sliding right into her friend, totaling the front portion of her Honda Civic and the trunk of her friend’s car. Car maintenance is important, it may be expensive and tempting to avoid, but without proper care, the car can become a hazard and unsafe to drive. Research done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 20% of accidents are due to overlooking car maintenance. Driver education reminds drivers to get their car regularly checked, as per the car manual, yet some disregard the maintenance aspect because it can be expensive. To practice better car care and to avoid accidents due to the lack of, drivers should budget knowing that their car will need to be maintained, and if a driver suspects something is off with their car, do not hesitate to take it to a mechanic. I plan to budget for car care and to be timely with it, too, especially after this accident I’ve pushed my friends and family not to wait with car maintenance but to get it done as soon as possible, and in the meantime, minimize driving.
The most recent and hopefully last time my family got into an accident was with my sister Esti; driving home from college, Esti was confronted with a horrible snowstorm. The highways were awful, we had passed several accidents already, but we were only 20 minutes away from home, so Esti decided to keep driving. As cars began to slow down, barely going 12 mph, Esti decided to follow and drop her speed from 25 mph to 12 mph. She was focused on the road, the car had its snow tires, its breaks, and everything refreshed, but the next thing I knew, the passenger side was smashed into the guardrail. There can be a focused driver and a car in perfect condition, but bad weather can cause unpredictable and uncontrollable accidents. There is a reason there are weather warnings, and it is advised not to drive, and more people should review the weather and plan before driving especially long distances. Driver’s education cautions drivers about bad weather, the only way to guarantee safe roads during bad weather is if you aren’t on them. According to the NHTSA, bad weather is a factor of 1 out of every five accidents, is an aspect that is uncontrollable, and can create unexpected obstacles on the road. Now, my father will not let me, or my siblings drive in a storm or bad weather; it is not worth the risk. I encourage my friends to stay in as well during storms, and other drivers should as well, to keep themselves and the roads safe.
State Farm has pretty much had it with my family after having three major accidents in about two years. Now, there are devices in all my family cars to track phone usage, speeding, sudden braking, sharp turns, and more. What I have learned from these accidents, and what I hope other people can stand to learn, is that passing driver education is not enough, it is important to actively listen and practice the lessons outlined. It’s not just important to obey legal law, stop at every stop sign, follow the speed limit, etc., but part of driving is to hone in on your surroundings and not be distracted. In addition to that, drivers are responsible for maintaining their car, and for not placing themselves in risky driving situations, such as bad weather. My family had to learn to actively listen to driver education the hard way, but you don’t have to. Don’t wait for an accident to be reminded about the importance of safe driving, trust me, it is not worth it.
The first time my family got into a major accident was with me. I was not at fault, but the other driver was texting and driving. I was getting off of the highway and was stopped at a red light, while waiting, another car came off the exit, didn’t slow down, and didn’t see the clear red light ahead because she was on her phone. With the sudden smash from behind, my little Toyota Corolla spun into four other cars. It became a 6-car accident, airbags deployed, and cars totaled. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the whole accident could have been avoided if the offending driver was not on her phone. Drivers’ education scrutinizes texting and driving, yet a lot of drivers are watching their phones when they should be watching the road. A 2024 survey reports that 47% of drivers admit to texting and driving, and imagine how many don’t admit it. It is further estimated that 1.6 million car accidents, along with 3,000 deaths, happen annually because of texting and driving. If drivers stopped using their phones, had passengers texted for them instead, or even pulled over and came to a complete stop before texting, the roads would be a lot safer. I can implement this in my life as a driver and a passenger and encourage my friends and family to keep both hands on the wheel and off their phones, reminding them of the dangers involved and the alternatives mentioned above.
The second time my family got into a major car accident was with my sister Henya; she was technically at fault; she tried to brake, but the brake pads weren’t properly maintained, resulting in a rear-end collision. She was closely following a friend when the friend ahead came to a sudden stop because of a deer on the road, immediately, my sister slammed the brakes. However, the brake pads were supposed to get replaced the following Wednesday, so when she tried to brake so suddenly, she ended up sliding right into her friend, totaling the front portion of her Honda Civic and the trunk of her friend’s car. Car maintenance is important, it may be expensive and tempting to avoid, but without proper care, the car can become a hazard and unsafe to drive. Research done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 20% of accidents are due to overlooking car maintenance. Driver education reminds drivers to get their car regularly checked, as per the car manual, yet some disregard the maintenance aspect because it can be expensive. To practice better car care and to avoid accidents due to the lack of, drivers should budget knowing that their car will need to be maintained, and if a driver suspects something is off with their car, do not hesitate to take it to a mechanic. I plan to budget for car care and to be timely with it, too, especially after this accident I’ve pushed my friends and family not to wait with car maintenance but to get it done as soon as possible, and in the meantime, minimize driving.
The most recent and hopefully last time my family got into an accident was with my sister Esti; driving home from college, Esti was confronted with a horrible snowstorm. The highways were awful, we had passed several accidents already, but we were only 20 minutes away from home, so Esti decided to keep driving. As cars began to slow down, barely going 12 mph, Esti decided to follow and drop her speed from 25 mph to 12 mph. She was focused on the road, the car had its snow tires, its breaks, and everything refreshed, but the next thing I knew, the passenger side was smashed into the guardrail. There can be a focused driver and a car in perfect condition, but bad weather can cause unpredictable and uncontrollable accidents. There is a reason there are weather warnings, and it is advised not to drive, and more people should review the weather and plan before driving especially long distances. Driver’s education cautions drivers about bad weather, the only way to guarantee safe roads during bad weather is if you aren’t on them. According to the NHTSA, bad weather is a factor of 1 out of every five accidents, is an aspect that is uncontrollable, and can create unexpected obstacles on the road. Now, my father will not let me, or my siblings drive in a storm or bad weather; it is not worth the risk. I encourage my friends to stay in as well during storms, and other drivers should as well, to keep themselves and the roads safe.
State Farm has pretty much had it with my family after having three major accidents in about two years. Now, there are devices in all my family cars to track phone usage, speeding, sudden braking, sharp turns, and more. What I have learned from these accidents, and what I hope other people can stand to learn, is that passing driver education is not enough, it is important to actively listen and practice the lessons outlined. It’s not just important to obey legal law, stop at every stop sign, follow the speed limit, etc., but part of driving is to hone in on your surroundings and not be distracted. In addition to that, drivers are responsible for maintaining their car, and for not placing themselves in risky driving situations, such as bad weather. My family had to learn to actively listen to driver education the hard way, but you don’t have to. Don’t wait for an accident to be reminded about the importance of safe driving, trust me, it is not worth it.
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Steering Toward Safety: The Transformative Power of Driver Education
Emma Zinkowski
