I pulled into the school parking lot, my hands nervously gripping the wheel so tightly there was an imprint of the leather stitching on my finger tips. I did a good job, I thought I did. It had been two years since I had taken drivers education, and I was eager to get my license, as many teenagers were. The thrill of being able to drive anywhere at any time, not depending on an adult to drive you. The pure freedom that comes with that small, rectangular piece of plastic. I overheard my instructor talking to my father. He told my father that he was pleased, I drove very safely, like I was taking a driving test. The comment confused me, as I was, in fact, taking a driving test. I wondered how else I would drive. But he then said something that changed my view on driving.

If all teenagers drove as if they were taking a drivers test, there would be a lot less accidents happening on our roads.

According to Crash Stats, nearly 50,000 people died from automotive accidents in America. Accidents happen for multiple reasons, but usually the accident can be caused by distraction. The pattern of driving can start to feel like normalcy after a while, and common red flags can become more and more unapparent. I also feel as though a lot of drivers do not associate themselves with the statistics about driver casualties because they assume the worst would not happen to them, that they are not the ones who are destined to become victims or makers of automotive crashes. That a tiny rectangular piece of plastic gives them the right to drive however they see fit. But in truth, not getting in an accident as an irresponsible driver is just pure luck, eventually an accident will happen.
Drivers education is insanely important in preventing automotive accidents, as it not only teaches students how to drive a car, but also how to drive in a way that is safe and lawful. Afterall, driving is more than just turning a wheel and pushing a pedal, it is being aware of one’s surroundings. Not every button, camera, or function in a car, no matter how new or useful, is going to keep someone from getting in an accident, the driver must share that responsibility. Responsibilities like being able to drive defensively or to handle road rage, skills that in the long run will help individuals keep their roads safe. Drivers education helps an awful lot, but in order for it to really have its effect, it must be urged to stick with the students.

I have witnessed dangerous driving firsthand. I have been in the passenger seat of people who speed, hearing the sound of the wind hitting the car getting louder and louder. I have been in situations where I was cramped into a car with no room for a seatbelt, wedging myself between people to try and prevent me from flying out. I have been in a situation where the driver was intoxicated, and I did not know if I would make it to the next destination. Those drivers were adults. Adults who had their licenses. Teenagers who grew older but had not faced consequences from irresponsible driving just yet. Looking back, I could have been that consequence. It is pure luck that I am alive, able to type this essay response. It is one thing to be an irresponsible driver, but to risk the life of someone who rides with you is a selfish act.

Car Accidents remain the third leading cause of death in America. They are described as “preventable injury”, a name that is fitting. These tragedies are not set in stone, it is possible to prevent them. Really. The secret of safety is to return to a familiar mindset. Drivers, everytime they think about getting behind the wheel, have to remember, they are in a four-ton machine that could be a part of a yearly statistic of automotive accidents, no matter how safe they think they are driving. That license they hold does not exempt them from the responsibility that they have behind the wheel. People, strangers, friends, can die, lives can be altered, futures erased. So, said driver needs to put themself in the driver’s seat on that fateful test day, looking over to see their instructor in the passenger seat. That nervousness from the experience is a gift, it provides caution. They must earn the license given to them years prior. In doing so, many lives can be saved from automotive accidents.