When I turned sixteen, I made an appointment to get my learner’s permit as is an option for teens in the state of Connecticut. This permit allowed me to practice driving and set me on the road, so to speak, to get my official license. There were a few conditions, however. My parents required me to attend in-person driver’s education classes. The in-person part was one of the conditions. While most of my friends participated in these classes online, I had to go to school every day for three weeks during the summer to learn about driver safety and laws. They emphasized that it was important to learn the rules of the road, to learn defensive driving techniques, and to learn the consequences of not being alert and safe at all times. They wanted to be sure I did my part to reduce the number of deaths that result from inexperienced driving. My parents stated that to be a responsible driver, I needed to show that I was engaged in the lessons and not be distracted by my phone, my friends, or the television. Distractions like these, according to my parents, were the number one cause of accidents among teens. They stressed that, as a well-trained driver, I would be less likely to take risks on the road, like speeding or impaired driving. They didn’t want me to start on the wrong foot. As a well-trained driver, I would be better at decision-making on the road, and I would have improved reaction times during real driving situations. With training from someone official and patient, I would be less likely to get into an accident.
Fast forward two years, and I am now an official driver. I can drive legally with friends and family in my car. I still think about the driver’s education course I took that hot summer. As a fully licensed driver, I encounter many challenges on the road that were discussed in that driver’s education class. When driving, I often think about how more needs to be done to reduce the number of traffic fatalities. A strong driver education program worked for me. I know I learned more from the in-person experience than my friends did from the online courses where they were not asked to engage. Another way to reduce tragedies on the road is to enforce existing traffic laws. I have seen cars accelerate well beyond the speed limit, sometimes going twice the speed limit in some areas. Many people, even seasoned drivers, roll through or disregard stop signs and red lights. Tougher enforcement of traffic violations would greatly reduce risky driving and reduce the number of accidents leading to death on the road. Another way officials can help reduce the number of deaths on the road is by improving safety measures. I hear about accidents that involve drivers who enter the wrong way. Road improvements such as signs and signals alert drivers that they are entering the wrong way on the road. This could reduce accidents and fatalities as well. Other improvements, such as roundabouts, rotaries, and speed bumps, could limit speed at intersections and pedestrian zones where stop signs are often ignored. Much can be done to reduce accidents, and not all of them require structural improvements or a lot of money to implement.
Speed bumps and additional signage would have helped to avoid the accident that happened last year near my high school. Runners from the track team were running along the road near the school. At the end of practice, as the team turned back into the parking lot. At the same time, an impatient driver leaving the school parking lot barely slowed down for a stop sign. Annoyed by the stop sign and speed bumps, he made a split-second decision to swerve around the speed bump. He veered off the road toward the group. Before he could react, he struck one of the runners to the ground. The runner was injured but fortunately not fatally. The driver quickly realized what happened. While he was quick to help, he regretted that the accident could have been avoided if he had obeyed traffic laws.
Even though I have been a driver for two years, I know that there are situations that I have not encountered on the road yet. There are things I can do to be a safe driver. I am cautious when I drive, making sure that I continue to avoid the distractions that my parents warned me about early on. I make sure that I make my own decisions. This means that I am not influenced by others who may try to take my focus off the road. I practice safety when I am the driver and the passenger. always practicing safe driving habits and speaking up when I see reckless behavior. I always follow traffic laws even when it seems that those around me speed, run red lights, or do not yield the right of way on the highway. I try to text my parents or friends where I am headed before I drive so that I can put my cell phone away. In this way, I have tried to be a good role model for my little brother, who will be applying for his permit in a few months. Even though I cannot control how others on the road drive, I know that I can help to reduce traffic fatalities by being the best driver I can be, as well as encourage others to do the same. I can make the roads safer for myself and others by knowing, understanding, and following the rules of the road.