In the United States, we as people dating back from 1934 have become accustomed to taking classes or a program to learn how to drive, the rules of the road, and overall what to do in an emergency on the road. Why do we do this? Why has drivers’ education become mandatory? Well, a driver learning the correct way to drive has reduced the number of deaths surrounding driving. Educating those on what to do and what not to do is very important considering the fact that everybody does not have this innate sense within driving. Unlike animals who have an innate sense of survival. Although not every person drives on a constant basis, most people need a car for survival. Meaning most people need to drive to their jobs, to drive their kids to school and pick them up, or to leave their house in case of an emergency. So, since most people need a car to survive, and we do not have an innate sense to drive correctly, we must teach those who are new at driving and those of older ages the updated rules and regulations to the road to reduce the number of deaths related to driving.
Simply put, we are reducing the risk of deaths when we educate those who need within driving but there are many steps to be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. This can include a number of things, starting off those who are younger and newer driving can start off early and start the process within learning drivers education, getting a permit, and taking the necessary tests. While this process is long this helps those who are younger learn the do’s and don’ts within driving, waiting until your eighteen or driving without getting a license could hurt your chances within getting your license in the future, and increase your chances of getting hurt on the road because your skipped the necessary steps within learning the rules and regulations of the road early on. Some other steps that could reduce the number of deaths related to driving includes reteaching older driving the updated rules and regulations of the road, those who learned while they were younger might be accustomed to driving by the rules they learned earlier on, this could increase the risk of hurting themselves or others on the road. While this might help, some older drivers should not drive for the sake of those on the road. This is because statistically speaking, the older the senior citizen driving, the more it is likely they will cause or be involved into an accident.
While I personally have never been behind the wheel or in the car when a car accident has occurred, my mother has experienced a car accident for driving irresponsibly. My mother suffers from bipolar disorder, and while on a manic state she got behind the wheel and into an accident, while this wasn’t a extreme car accident she was well aware afterwards that her driving irresponsibility was not ok. While I was in the car with my siblings and my father driving to go see her, the first thing we see is her sitting on the side of the road distraught. Looking like she was out of her manic state, but into a state of complete shock. While she was not injured, she injured the other people in the car. I couldn’t even see them but the hurt and tears in my mom’s eyes told me that she regrets ever driving under the wrong headspace and this in turn showed me that many people could be driving without understanding the mistakes they could make that could cost lives. My friend also got into a bad car crash for recklessly speeding up on a yellow light. She was so hurt that she was in a body cast and lost her college track scholarship. This in turn made me understand that beating the light and speeding up can have the worse repercussions and no matter what my destination is, I never run a yellow light.
This in turn has taught me that accidents will occur under different circumstances, but taking the necessary precautions within driving helps yourself and others. Meaning taking the necessary precautionary steps like learning the rules and regulations of the road, being in the right head space to drive, can help those around you be safe and yourself to be safe. As well as when danger occurs on the road, things you cannot control meaning bad weather or another driver that’s driving irresponsibly, learning the safest thing to do in that situation can help those around you be safe and as well as yourself. So being educated in situations like learning to drive slower in snow or rain can reduce accidents, or if a reckless driver is near you, report the reckless driver after you proceed with caution and maintain a safe distance away from the driver. Going back to learning the appropriate rules and regulations within circumstances can genuinely save your life as well as save the lives around you.