Being unexpectedly plowed into by a vehicle traveling full speed makes one realize the importance of ensuring a safe driving environment. I have personally suffered the repercussions of distracted drivers, as well as lost people due to it. Ironically, an hour before beginning this essay, I was informed of a car accident that took the life of someone I knew and put two others in critical care. This is why driver education is essential, as it can help to prevent deaths such as these. To put a stop to the absurd amount of deaths that occur on the road, there should be strict driving tests, more opportunities to take driving lessons at a cheaper rate, as well as numerous tests as citizens grow older. As for what I can do to limit the number of car accidents in the world; I will utilize the knowledge I have gained throughout my Drivers lessons and will use the experience of being hit to remind myself of the importance of vigilence while on the road.

To start with the significance of driver education in decreasing deaths on the road. Without driver education, the roads would be disastrous. Living in Kelowna, the roads are hectic; mainly because it is a connecting point between many other cities, near the border of the United States, and is a common vacation spot for travelers. Having so many unfamiliar drivers in the area can create a lot of confusion due to the hesitancy of driving in a new location, and can be the cause of numerous accidents. If people are hesitant drivers due to new, unfamiliar roads, then they will be even more uncertain when faced with learning the rules of the road.

In order to reduce the number of driver-related deaths, there should, first of all, be strict driving tests across all cities. In Kelowna, passing the Novice Driver Test can be nearly impossible due to the stern attitudes the evaluators uphold. Due to this, many people go to the smaller surrounding cities to complete their tests because there is a higher chance of passing in the small towns. In order to reduce these accidents, the tests should be equal throughout every city. Second, in order to reduce this, there should be rules in place to make people retake their tests at a certain age. For instance after age fifty, sixty, seventy, and so on, they could have people retake the test to see if they are still a competent driver. This is because, over time, rules can change, and people can forget the more intricate rules of the road. For example, in Kelowna, elderly people make up most of the population which makes for a lot of driving under the speed limit, confusion at stop signs, excessive and unexpected braking, and plenty of cutting in front of others after not gauging the speed they are going at. Lastly, taking driving lessons with a professional driving company can have positive, long-lasting impacts on student drivers. I myself was lucky enough to be granted this opportunity with my Drivers lessons, and learned an abundance of knowledge from them. If there were to be more affordable options for driving schools, it would reflect greatly on driving statistics and lower accident rates remarkably.

As for experience with car accidents, last year while driving home from school, I was rear-ended while at a red light. The lady who hit me claimed to be distracted by a puppy she had in the vehicle, and did not notice the line of cars stopped at the traffic light. This experience changed my perspective on driving by making me aware that accidents can and do happen. As for fatal accidents, I have now experienced the agony of losing someone in a car wreck twice. The first was in grade eleven when we were informed that three soon-to-be graduates, had sped into a telephone pole, and were killed instantaneously, one of them being my friend. To recap on today’s instances, three volleyball players, two of whom I know, suffered a partially fatal accident. One was killed, one broke his back, and one is in a coma experiencing brain swelling. Having these experiences, although negative, can create much more awareness in drivers, as it proves that these scenarios happen in day-to-day life. For myself, I practice safe driving by maintaining precision, alertness, and seriousness as I am aware of the consequences poor driving can have.

The steps that I take to be a safe driver are obeying the rules of the road, and being extra alert to those who pose a threat to other drivers. After recently passing my class five driver test, I feel knowledgeable about the rules, and will easily follow them to ensure the safety of others and myself. I will also educate myself further if I come across a scenario that makes me question the rules of the road. Such as when I am at a two-way stop turning left and have the right-of-way, but then the person across from the street arrives at their stop sign second to me and proceeds to go first.

In the end, driver education is essential for creating a safe environment and preventing the deaths and heartbreak that can occur from uneducated drivers. To achieve this, driving tests should be strict across all cities to create consistency in driving habits. There should also be laws about having to retake tests once citizens reach a certain age. Last, driving practices should be more affordable in order to properly educate people on road rules. Having been in a car accident, and living through the horror of witnessing others in them, I now realize the importance of being prudent and alert, and will use this experience to ensure that I am reflecting every trait of a safe driver on the road.