Cars are #1 method of road transportation, especially in suburban areas. To make sure our roads are safe, we need to require driver’s education for any future drivers. Education is important and even more important when operating something that has the possibility of causing injury or even death. There is a belief that driver’s ed is pointless. Some think that it is a waste of time because driving is something that everyone learns while in the car as a passenger or from television. However, some people grew up without being in the car with their parents or not being able to practice driving in a video game. There are even more people who grew up in cities where they didn’t have to drive and then moved to areas where they are required to drive. Driver’s ed is so important because there are so many people who need to learn about driving after not being exposed to the road. Growing up with vehicles, although is not an excuse to participate in driver’s education. There is so much that is learned in the classroom about the rules of the road, and it gives the opportunity to practice driving and parking before becoming an actual driver. If future drivers don’t learn everything they need in driver’s ed, it is more likely that they will be reckless and endanger others. Driving without completing driver’s ed is on the same level as a surgeon doing surgery without completing medical school. Driver’s ed is a key factor in reducing the number of deaths resulting from driving. There are many states that only require an online course before giving out a full license. An online course is not the same level of education that is needed to produce a safe driver. Practicing driving in driver’s ed is needed to help future drivers gain experience before going out onto the roads. The states can choose the amount of required supervised driving one has to go through, with some being very minimal. The national government should make it a requirement that drivers go through an in-person driver’s education course before gaining full a full license. Another step that should be taken to move towards higher road safety is required at least 50 supervised driving hours before taking the test to gain your license. By leaving it up to the states, it allows future drivers to not gain enough experience before receiving a full license. Gaining experience helps drivers understand the roads, which can lead to lower accidents and accident-related deaths. Not understanding how a vehicle works and reacts can lead to a higher accident rate which has happened to me.
A little over a year after I turned 16 and received my full license, I was in a fender bender. There was ice on the ground, I didn’t slow down enough before I tried to turn, and I discovered I couldn’t turn my wheel enough to turn the corner without hitting the car on the other road. There was minimal damage to my car and the other car, but it scared me to my core. I was crying after it happened and was full of anxiety all day at school. It was terrifying to drive to work after school that day and for the days after this incident happened. Even though I knew that it wasn’t a huge deal, I was scared that I was going to cause another accident. This fender bender happening helped me learn about what I need to do when the conditions are like this again. Whenever it snows or even rains, I take extra precautions. I slow down earlier than I normally do and take turns extra carefully. I know that if I take the proper precautions, I can stop myself from causing an accident. Recently, I got into a bigger, actual car accident with my best friend. She picked me up from the train station, she realized she missed a turn, and didn’t realize that the light we were going through was red. Because the light was red, someone turning left from the opposite way ran into her car in the front on the passenger side. I didn’t realize what was happening until I saw the other car when it was about to hit. After this happened, I realized that it was my turn to calm my best friend down. While this accident didn’t happen in car with me driving, it still made me scared for the next few days. I was driving up to a light which was green, and I believed I saw a car coming from the opposite road, so I slowed down a bit before realizing there was no car. Being involved in an accident can ultimately help a person. It makes me more cautious of myself and other drivers. Being cautious can undeniably help reduce the number of vehicle accidents and deaths caused by reckless driving.