Driver education is important in reducing the number of deaths caused by automobile accidents because it teaches people the vital aspects of defensive driving. Those who drive offensively are often oblivious to the danger they impose on others because they are not attentive to the reactions of other drivers to their uncontrolled maneuvers in traffic. Those who attend driver education classes are mostly taught to pay close attention to other vehicles and the typical etiquette most drivers use while operating a motor vehicle. In addition, students graduating from driver education classes should be well-versed in traffic laws applicable in most locales. Additional defensive driving classes are good because they teach operators proper spacing techniques and how to plan for worst case scenarios as they are progressing through traffic. My father attended one such class as part of his employment and he told me that the best thing that he learned from his class was how to open up his field of vision so that he could see what was going on well ahead of his position so that he could plan ahead for potential evasive maneuvers.
I believe that the number of deaths caused by traffic related accidents can be reduced by people simply obeying applicable traffic laws and following rules of driving etiquette. In most instances, I feel that courteous drivers tend to be safer drivers. Those who decide beforehand to share the road instead of own the road seem to be less likely to be involved in traffic incidents than those who do not. Traffic laws are in place for the protection of all drivers and are not intended to be an inconvenience for vehicle operators. Officials have spent a large amount of time studying traffic patterns and safe speeds to determine speed limits, stop light/stop sign positions, and such, so it makes a lot of sense to follow what they have put in place in order to stay safe.
In addition, I feel that the number of deaths can be reduced by operators simply putting aside things that distract them from paying attention to the road. Items such as cell phones, GPS equipment, food, etc. detract from individuals’ giving their full attention to the task of operating the motor vehicle they are using. If people would realize that they are basically charged with operating a 3000-4000 pound machine capable of ending someone’s life or causing major damage, they might take the task of driving that vehicle more seriously. Driving is a huge responsibility that I believe most consider too lightly. Over time, I feel that most become too comfortable with the fact that since they haven’t had an accident, either ever or in a long time, they are immune from becoming involved in one. I believe complacent driving is the most dangerous type of driving.
About a year ago, I was involved in an accident. I was driving on a country road and came to a blind hill. When I reached the top of the hill, a pickup coming the other direction was in my lane. As I swerved to miss the truck, it struck the driver side mirror of my car and knocked it completely off. The truck did not stop and actually sped away. I was very shaken from this experience, but if I had been distracted during this incident, the accident may have been much worse as we would have hit head on. This incident taught me that it is vitally important to be constantly aware of my surroundings while I am operating a vehicle. Also, I learned that it is important to reduce speed when on curvy, hilly roads because it is very easy to lose control on roads of this kind.
I feel that I can become a better driver by being more cognizant of my surroundings while driving. What I mean by this is that I need to learn to be more aware of other drivers near me and learn to look further down the road to continuously plan for worst case scenarios. While driving, a person’s brain must process multiple inputs almost instantaneously and the more that I can be prepared to do before having to react in the moment, the safer that I can be. I believe that I can be more courteous to others on the road and allow more space for giving me more time to react to situations that arise in traffic.
Ultimately, when driving a vehicle, it is always more important to arrive to your destination safely than quickly. If a person is running late already, driving recklessly is potentially worse than arriving a few minutes late. Being a few minutes late is better than not arriving at all.