The Importance of Driver's Education: Why bother?

As a student who has since graduated from the mundane lessons of driver's ed, I get it. It’s quite the frustrating experience knowing you’re so close to freedom on the road, but standing in your way is a mountain of state-mandated videos, tests, and lessons. Hours and hours go by, and whether you’re trapped in a room with a teacher or at home mindlessly clicking away on a screen, driver’s ed can feel like a drag. Time and time again, you’re told the same thing. “Don’t drink and drive, it’s not worth it.”, or another one you hear a lot is “Texting and driving is a death wish!” But you already know that, right? So why do they bother repeating it 10 times per unit? But here’s the bottom line: would you rather sit and listen to a lesson not much different than a class you’d normally take for a few hours, or have your family have to pick out which flowers to place on your grave? The hours you put into understanding road safety are necessary to ensure that when on the road you are a law-abiding citizen. Thus, you protect not just yourself but everyone else on the road entrusting you to drive responsibly. The more seriously you take what you’ve learned from driving school, the more lives you can save even when you aren’t the one behind the wheel. 

From a logical standpoint, we can conclude that driver's ed guides young drivers in becoming safe on the road and reducing road-related accidents. But how do we know this for a fact? Where are the numbers to back this up? People assume that just because driving is a physical practice, the details of the road and its numerous regulations and rules are of little importance–just look every way on the road, and all is well, right? In 2021, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) reported that about 32% of collisions were caused by unlicensed drivers. That roughly 2 million crashes were caused simply because someone was uninformed about the safety rules of the road. About 4,000 of these individuals had their lives taken by the decision of one person to drive without going through the proper training. Lives change by the minute because of irresponsible choices made by other people; don’t be one of those people. The consequences of such collisions range from minor inconveniences such as minor injuries, scratched up cars, and a shaken ego. However, the heavier consequences can involve permanent bodily injury, a totaled car, and in the worst cases death. It is up to you to decide if any of these consequences is worth skipping a few hours of informational instruction.

Most people can agree that driving without a license is a choice of poor judgment; however, going through Driver’s Ed is not enough. To perform well on the road, you must harness your learning capabilities and become focused on the material being taught. You can pass all the tests and have excellent driving skills, but without remembering and applying the rules you are taught, you still pose a threat to other drivers. For example, during my driving test, I was asked a series of questions while driving. I had taken the Driver's Ed course almost two years before the driving test. Thus, I’d forgotten many of the specific rules of the road, resulting in an embarrassing incorrect answer that may have cost me my license. But beyond applying these rules whilst behind the wheel, reinforcing them while sitting in any other seat is perfectly respectable and can even benefit the safety of several others. You can use your knowledge of the road to remind others (such as another young driver who has recently obtained a license, or a family member who drives recklessly) that while you are in the car, your safety should be a priority. So feel free to share what you’ve learned to inspire the drivers in your life to be conscious about the way they navigate the road. 

Becoming distracted during your driver’s ed course is inevitable. There is only so much information that can be crammed into your brain before you become too overwhelmed to focus. However, some of the rules, tips, and tricks you might miss when eyeing the clock could potentially be the difference between a safe drive and a life-altering event. Don’t forget, driver’s ed is not just another course the state demands you check off of your list. Driver’s Ed is a learning opportunity that gives us a safe path towards the privilege of navigating the roads as young adults. Because, like you’ve likely heard in these courses, driving is a privilege, not a right.