One moment I was walking across the street with the walk sign, stressing about my final exam before summer vacation. The next, I was on the road, bawling my eyes out, road rashes burning every time I moved, and a leg that required months of therapy to recover. I remember screaming my lungs out at the truck coming towards me and the sleepless days following the accident. My story is among the many accident stories, however, I am one of the few who lived to share the trauma.

Drivers are the most dangerous things on the roads. In the span of months, there have been 3 car accidents at the intersection near my home. That is 3 accidents too many. I always wondered why drivers run red lights, intimidate pedestrians, drunkenly drive, exceed speed limits, or perform other reckless, illegal actions. Surely, 99% of drivers on the road have a valid license and enough driver education to know that these things are wrong, right? Of course, they do. Yet, the question remains, if lives are on the line, why do we still do it? I believe the answer is simple. We underestimate the damage and consequences of our actions.

It is easy to think, ‘I can drive through that yellow light if I go a bit faster’, or ‘Oh, someone texted me. I will give it a brief look’, or ‘The pedestrian is still far away, I can make it’. What happens when another car enters the scene or the pedestrian decides to make a sudden move? Now, we have lives at risk of an accident that could have been avoided by simply changing the train of thought and recognizing anything can happen on the road.

This is when driver education comes into play. Driver education is essentially education that makes drivers aware of the possible hazards of the road, the rules and regulations, and above all, safety. I believe there are many sources of driver education including your licensing process (i.e. studying for the G1, G2, and G tests), your driving school instructors, parents, and even friends. Driver education is important in ensuring drivers are fully attentive to the road and are actively looking out for danger, that way many deaths related to driving can be avoided. Seeking advice on personal driving skills, using the defensive driving technique, revising road signs and regulations, keeping your emotions in check, and giving 100% of your attention on the road are some of the many steps that can be taken to reduce deaths related to driving. I always say that, if anything diverges 100% of your attention even by 1%, you should not be driving.

The education I received throughout my one year of driving experience has made a positive impact on me and my view on driving. I speak from experience when talking about attentiveness. When I first sat behind the wheel, I realized how much I underestimated the focus required to drive safely. In the beginning, I was overwhelmed by the need to look at my mirrors every couple of seconds, paying attention to road signs, and watching for other road users, simultaneously. Over time, with education and more practice, I can now smoothly change lanes, make safe turns, and be fully attentive on the road. I take additional steps to be a safe driver such as silencing my phone, telling my passengers not to address me directly, following road rules, and especially, watching for pedestrians at every crosswalk and intersection. I can be a better driver by considering advice from my instructor and parents and continuing to put safety first. I make sure my parents follow the same regimen, reminding them to drive within the speed limit or warn them when there is a person at the intersection. In this way, I make sure others are being safe and better drivers as well.

Thanks to driver education, I, the pedestrian, learned to become a driver. As a driver, I want to ensure other stories are not added to the numerous accident stories. I want to prevent a danger, so another person does not have to share the trauma. This can be prevented by changing our thinking to, ‘I can make a slow stop’, or ‘I will reply later’, or ‘The pedestrian has the right of way, I can wait’. Taking responsibility as a driver and realizing that severe consequences come with careless actions is one of the key lessons of driver education. Remember, do not let your attention be diverted because so many deaths can be avoided.