Driver education is beneficial before and after getting one’s driver's license. Taking driver’s ed in high school I was well more prepared to take my driver’s test but also understood the risks I am putting myself and others in if I were to drive distracted whether that’s texting or talking on the phone, reaching for something in the backseats, or taking my eyes off the road and somewhere else instead of watching in front of me. Throughout the semester I was also able to practice and develop safe driving skills, learn more about defensive driving, and understand the laws and regulations of the road.
Ways we can reduce the number of deaths related to driving is to start from the beginning. Kids tend to learn by example. As adults, we need to understand that kids will imitate us and pick up on the things we do. If we drive carelessly they’re going to do similar and it could end badly. Also, we don’t have control over others'' emotions, when one person spirals out of control emotionally the other person can do the same and usually all thoughts become nothing and people tend to just react and do unpredictable things. The golden rule can be applied to driving; “treat others the way you want to be treated,” emotions are running high but that doesn’t mean humanity can be thrown out the window. No one should ever have to go through losing a loved one too soon. Then comes the infrastructure of the road which we don’t think can be a factor of deaths related to driving. When the roads have severe potholes it’s easy to panic and swerve into someone else and cause a big incident that could result in someone's possible death. With drivers education we can teach people not to panic, being scared is ok, but safely pull over and assess the issue at a safe distance away from traffic. Instead of panicking when a dashboard light comes on people will understand what to do and how to safely fix the problem and get to a mechanic right away when needed. Continuing driver education outside of high school and offering it at a lower price, possibly free, or having a reward incentive for people to take it would bring public awareness to driving safely and promote those safe habits to all ages. Continuing to improve the technology in our cars that helps with safe driving is a part of the future but it’s not what we should rely on when we drive.
I have personally been in an accident before. I was accused of “driving distracted” but the person who had hit me had hit the rear driver's side of my car, as I was passing a side street, the spot in between the rear driver's side door and the trunk. I don’t drive distracted, I wasn’t speeding, and I was already in the lane before the other person tried turning left into my lane. They were coming from a neighborhood of sorts and turning onto the main road that I was driving on. Everyone was ok but what made me most upset was the fact that the other person was persistent in blaming me for the incident. After that, it has been difficult to drive. I notice my body tends to tense up whenever I see in my peripheral vision a car turn into the lane next to me; even if I’m not driving and I'm sitting passenger I still tense up. I have not changed my driving by much. I continue to leave my phone in the center console and put my seatbelt on before moving the car, and now I am even more aware of my surroundings but more out of paranoia. I am thankful that everyone was ok in the end. Nothing can truly prepare you for an accident but I feel that taking the driver's education course in high school helped me to know what to do in that kind of situation and even though at the moment I was scared I had an understanding of what not to do.
Recently on the news, many people have been in incidents surrounding road rage. Things happen that we can’t control but we can control our reactions. Instead of getting upset and overreacting about something that is just a second-long inconvenience I do my best to stay calm, not let it affect my day, and move on. Life is too short to get upset over something that won’t matter in five seconds. When driving with others in the car I make sure that everyone is wearing a seatbelt otherwise I don’t move the car. I understand that I can be annoying but I care about my friends and family’s safety more than mildly getting on their nerves. If they try to show me something on their phones I won’t look until I’m stopped either at a red light but preferably parked. I also try to keep up with maintenance especially since my car is now ten years old and has proven reliable since day one. Some people can get upset when you try to mention something that they can improve to be safer when driving so instead I just try my best to lead by example; when my nephews and nieces come to ask about wanting to learn how to drive I always go over safety first because I want to make sure they understand how to drive safe, what it means to be a safe and defensive driver, and how they can help make sure their parents are being safe drivers as well.