Understand
the Situation

Safe
driving leaves no room for distractions. Being in the Driver’s Seat
means controlling a several-thousand-pound piece of metal that may be
hurtling along a freeway at 80 miles per hour. This is plenty to
occupy a person’s attention. If someone isn’t used to the driving
conditions, or isn’t sure how to get to their destination, the
situation can become dangerous. Observing experienced drivers,
carefully practicing driving in different conditions, and taking
accidents seriously can help people become safer drivers.


Formal
and informal Drivers ed is important in learning to become
a safe, defensive driver. In much of the United States, Driver’s
Education really begins as soon as a child is old enough to
understand what driving is. Being in the car with adults teaches
young children red lights mean stop, green lights mean go, and
turning on the blinker signals that the driver intends to turn. Young
children will assume that however their caregivers drive is correct,
making it important for caregivers to be good drivers.


People
drive in many different situations. Some drive in big cities and some
drive in rural areas. I have found that it is very important to
understand the situation I’m driving in. I’ve grown up in rural
Idaho. At a young age, I learned to watch for deer and elk that would
possibly be crossing the road ahead. After getting my permit, I
learned how to drive through snow and ice. However, I had little
experience with freeway or city driving. This led to my getting in an
accident.


A
few months after receiving my driver’s permit, my family was
travelling through Pocatello, Idaho. I asked if I could drive for a
while. My parents said yes. I began turning left onto the freeway.
There was a concrete strip separating the North and South bound lanes
of traffic. My Dad, who was in the passenger seat, said to me “This
is a really tight turn. You are going to need to drive over that
concrete.” I didn’t think I should drive over the concrete, and I
didn’t realize there were two left turn lanes. I turned too wide,
and ran into another car turning on to the freeway. Fortunately,
nobody was hurt. I am in some ways grateful I had this accident,
because it taught me to pay more attention while driving.


Driving
is dangerous. However, there are many steps that can be taken to
reduce its risks. Those driving with young children in the car should
remember they are not only driving to keep everyone in the vehicle
safe, they are also providing an informal drivers ed lesson
to the occupants. To learn to drive in city settings, I have
practiced with one of my parents to help instruct me. I always
memorize the directions to my destination before I begin to drive, so
that I can focus completely on the road. My motto for driving is
“understand the situation.”