Driver’s education has been the biggest factor in making me feel confident in driving. I don’t think I would have ever learned enough to be a decent driver if my parents had not signed me up for the complete Driver’s Ed. course that I took when I was 17 years old. I am certain I would not have been confident enough to get my license if I had only practiced driving around town with my parents. I am academically minded, and the reading course actually helped me memorize and prioritize all of the important road rules. I think most people tend to be hands-on learners and prefer just getting behind the wheel straight away to practice. However, I felt much more confident when we went through the various chapters of the course first, and then we practiced them only after reading all of the information. The course was much more thorough than the driver manual provided from the DMV. I may not have been super excited to take the course, but after the completion of the course, my anxiety of getting behind the wheel was relieved. I would recommend that every driver in the United States take a course before becoming a licensed driver.

In order to reduce the risk of death while driving, I believe Driver’s Ed. should be required in every state before getting a license, because I learned so much that I wouldn’t have learned by only practicing with my parents. I definitely think the risk of my driving leading to death is reduced because of that course. I know much stricter courses are in place in European countries, including higher driving ages. According to big think.com, the United States auto fatality rates are over twice as high as Europe. In fact, research shows that the United States has the worst auto accident fatality rate of all the developed world (Angie Schmidt, 2018). Perhaps that is due to the strict licensing courses, or the age limits, or the better options in public transportation in other developed countries. Or, perhaps we have not combatted drunk, distracted, and careless driving properly in the United States. It would be worth studying the differences and trying to implement some of the same Driver’s Ed. requirements that Europe or other nations around the world have.

According to the University of Nebraska, there is a 24% higher chance of being in a fatal car accident if you have not successfully completed a Driver’s Ed. Course (Leslie Reed, 2015). With car accidents being one of the leading causes of deaths in teens, I would urge everyone to take a course and reduce their risk of losing their life. This would be a lot easier to implement if states would require Driver’s Ed., or better yet, provide Driver’s Ed. Courses for free to all teens before they get their driver license. In my state of Oregon, it is not required. However, they do offer an incentive program. If a teen passes a Driver’s Ed. Course, they can get a license without having to take the DMV test. They just have to prove that they passed with a certificate from the accredited Driver’s Ed. Program.

Luckily I have never been in a car accident. My grandma was in a serious car accident that has caused nerve damage most of her life. My mom, as a high school teacher, has had to deal with the death of her students due to car accidents from teenage driving. So I know the serious implications of careless driving, and I’m very thankful to have not experienced it firsthand. My parents are fairly cautious drivers, but I am always the first to yell at my mom if my brother hasn’t quite buckled his seatbelt while she starts pulling out of the driveway.

I am a reluctant driver. I have paid attention to all of the warnings and statistics of driving, and therefore, I am not the common 16 year old anxious to get on the road. I took an extra year to get my permit, and I wasn’t in a hurry to get my license. Now that I’ve turned 18, I feel more confident in driving. Perhaps 18 is a safer age for teens to get a license. However, I still need to practice. I am very good at following the rules to keep me safe; I always wear a seatbelt, I never check my phone, etc. I do need to practice driving in heavy traffic and on highways. It’s always a little scary knowing not every driver is a safe driver. I am thankful for the course I took to make me a safe driver today.