The 2 Ton Missile

Today, nearly everyone in the United States knows someone who was killed or injured in a car accident, yet the sad fact is that after a couple weeks, or months most people move on with how they drive like “normal”. A couple years before I started driving, one of the girls in my church youth group was heading home after our typical Wednesday Night Service. On her way home, she and her boyfriend were hit by a careless, drunk driver and were killed instantly. I saw first-hand how her death left her family and friends devastated, but then a couple of weeks later saw her friends speeding in our church's parking lot. Since that day, I have strived to be the safest driver possible. 

Driver education is essential to preventing the deadliest killer in America, car accidents. Drivers who are educated are statistically safer.  While we can’t always prevent other people's actions before getting on the road, by being an educated driver, one has gained the knowledge and skills to see the chance for a wreck and take preventive action.  When high schoolers are given the opportunity to take driver education classes that include time to drive with an established, experienced driver, students learn defensive driving skills.  Some of these skills include watching out for speeders or drivers that are swerving which could indicate drunk driving, or even driving while on their phone. However, this opportunity is not an option for all American students. 

Most of my friends when participating in driver's education would just breeze through the videos, and the readings and not truly understand the significance of the education that would be vital for them to survive on the road. Then when they turned in this certificate of completion to the state, they were given a license to drive a 2-3 ton missile recklessly, with no further follow up. Additionally, when my teachers and parents were learning how to drive they did not have “parent driver training courses.” Every student had to attend at least a month long class and do driving lessons with a professional teacher. There needs to be a system in place for all students to receive and learn in an engaging environment. Students need to be held accountable for learning and understanding the repercussions of their actions and why driving safely matters so much. This could look like having the state or federal government requiring students to attend a driving class within their school, participating in collaborative environments where students are required to pass driving hours and simulations to truly understand the different laws and regulations.                     

When I turned 15, it was a requirement in my family to go through driver education with my absolute attention, but then additionally spend hours a week with my parents learning the best way to drive and look for other people on the road. I did all of this with caution, knowing that I was not only responsible for my family and friends lives on the road, but also the lives of others around me. When it came time for me to take my test, I felt that I knew it all. I got a 100 on it and officially became the best driver in the family! Everytime that I drove, I was very careful, but still felt that I knew everything there was to know about driving and staying safe on the road. 

Then about a year after I had my license, I was heading home from a school competition when a police officer was pulled over on the side of the road with another car. I could not get over to the next lane due to another car driving beside me. I just kept on driving the lane I was in, continuing my drive like normal. Then after I passed him, the police officer pulled out behind me and turned on his lights. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road confused about what had happened. The police officer then informed me that, by law, I needed to move over or slow down 20 miles per hour below the speed limit for the safety of those pulled over on the highway. I was shocked to learn this information, that despite all of the training I had received when driving, I still did not know of this law that was vital for the safety of citizens and first responders. Since that day, I have not made the same mistake, whether it is a car pulled over with their hazard lights on or a police car making a traffic stop. I make sure that I find a way to move over to the next lane in plenty of time before I approach the situation. However, as I know that I strive to learn from my mistakes, many people will just move on with their lives with no change. It is essential for drivers of all ages to know the rules. In order to be a safe driver you have to be an educated driver. Taking a required refresher course when you renew your license can be beneficial to making sure everyone is up to date on the rules and regulations to prevent the deaths of other drivers and pedestrians. 

Being a safe and educated driver is something that is always in progress. Taking a driver’s education course is a vital part of that learning, but it can’t be where we stop our learning to prevent deaths. Each time we drive we need to be reflective of our actions, and be proactive in those actions to take steps to stop the world's deadliest killer.