Driving education prepares a new driver. Throughout the Drivers Ed class, students are informed of the rules and laws regarding driving. Knowing these laws is a critical part to safe driving. There are many rules and laws to driving that students review over only a couple of weeks. During these weeks, people are expected to remember everything to drive legally and safely. This can be a lot for some people, and they may not remember everything. People who do not know the laws and rules of driving are more reckless and can be a danger to themselves and other drivers on the road with them. With the knowledge of Drivers Ed, those who are on the road can become safe drivers and prevent less deaths due to driving.
A step that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving could be strict guidelines in Drivers Ed. A stricter guideline could be to raise the passing score/percentage. In South Dakota, drivers are required to pass just the written test to be able to drive on the road. They can not drive solo on the road but are required to have an adult in the passenger seat. Regardless, they are still behind the wheel controlling the vehicle on the road. Just passing the written test does not give them any experience behind the wheel before they are driving in real traffic. The event of this changing in the near future is not likely, so the required passing score could be raised to make sure new drivers are informed of the rules and laws. Requiring drivers to pass the written exam with a higher score will raise the knowledge of the drivers on the road. Before a new driver can drive on their own, they are required to pass a behind the wheel exam with a teacher. This is some people’s first time driving. Raising the passing score of the behind the wheel exam can raise the confidence of the drivers who pass. Drivers who pass with a higher percentage show to be a safe and knowledgeable driver. Raising the passing scores of both exams can help a driver's confidence and knowledge when they start driving. This will help put safe drivers on the road, and safe drivers can help prevent deaths due to driving.
When I was younger, we got in a mild car accident. We were stopped at a red light and the car behind us was distracted and didn’t stop, resulting in him rear-ending us. Thankfully nothing major happened, but our car bumped forward from the hit. We pulled off to the side so we could make sure everyone and everything was alright. Even though this accident was nothing major, it made me realize how scary car accidents can be. Thankfully I have not been in a more serious car accident, but I can imagine how much worse things could get. Being in this accident and hearing about or seeing other accidents made me realize how important driving is. Driving can be dangerous if it is not taken seriously, and this is shown by car accidents and deaths from car accidents.
I can take steps to be a better driver by doing three things. I can check my surroundings, use extra caution in bad weather conditions, and always use my blinker. Checking my surroundings will allow me to know where things are on and off the road. Driving is not only about drivers and other vehicles, but it also includes houses, people, animals, and objects that may be on the road. Checking my surroundings can keep myself and other people safe. A lot of car accidents happen due to inclement weather conditions. Taking extra caution during these times can be very beneficial to reduce the number of deaths due to car accidents. Driving slower and braking earlier can help keep control of the car in bad weather conditions. Using the blinker is taught in Drivers Ed class. People are to use it to communicate with other cars and pedestrians, to let them know what your vehicle plans to do. Some people may think that using their blinker doesn’t really do much besides light up, but actually, the blinker serves as the communication between you and others on the road. Communication on the road is a big deal. It will let others know what your vehicle is doing so they can drive accordingly and not cause an accident. I can better my driving by carefully examining my surroundings, driving with extra caution in bad weather conditions, and using my blinker for better communication on the road to help me and other drivers drive safely.