Cars are a godsend for angsty teenagers yearning for independence and everyday people who rely on transportation. However, it may seem as though we glorify driving in a way that eclipses the potential deadliness of the act— 34,000 people die each year from car accidents. Car accidents somehow inspire an even worse habit of rubbernecking which may consequently cause a fender bender (or worse traffic). If you want to get your license as a minor, you must complete a driver’s education course. I’m sure we’ve all heard the debaucherous tales of uncles talking about drinking and driving, or maybe bragging about how they tried to take an exit ramp at 80mph (even though they crashed). With each generation that comes to pass in America, they try to improve it. Driver’s ED, although a deterrent to up-and-coming youths, aims to make driving safer; if we raise safe drivers, we raise safe habits for others to learn from.
The knowledge provided by driver’s education prepares new drivers for improvisation on the road. While the road is regulated, other drivers can be unpredictable. The places you go may be unpredictable. Driver’s ed lays the groundwork for knowledge that can help you predict other drivers and traffic scenarios that you may not have been prepared for before. Also, since the majority of drivers who are getting their license are under 20, driver’s ed provides a slow and steady transition into the huge responsibility that driving is. Blinded by excitement, young people don’t really understand what driving means. It means that there may be scenarios where you’re driving on country roads and you have to know to stay focused on the yellow lines on the road to stay in lane. It means that you may be coming home from school and your check engine light starts flashing; if not for driver’s education, would you know to pull over and call your mechanic? If not for Driver’s ED, our highways may not move as efficiently as drivers have to learn that the best way to merge isn’t speeding up or slowing down, it’s moderating your speed as you satisfyingly switch lanes. These are just a few of many examples of how Driver’s ED prepares us to drive.
Steps initiated by driver’s ed are a good way to start to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. Firstly, it lays a foundation for becoming a competent driver. It also allows for in-person training for novices, which allows them to gain confidence and get comfortable on the road. Being comfortable behind the wheel is vital. If you’re tense and anxious that means that your mind is occupied, and you can’t focus on the road. Secondly, drivers ED emphasizes driving laws not only road rules but also seatbelt use. Deaths related to cars were exponentially larger when seat belts were not in use. You can almost see safety trends through the evolution of cars. Cars in the 20th century, while extremely suave, were not safe, they didn’t have seatbelts, and the frames were very fragile and would crumple easily. 40 years later, we have seatbelts, we have strong frames that enable the body to take the brunt of the force. All of these aspects come together to make the lives of drivers safer



It seems that even if everyone sees the devastation of a wreck, they’ll never really understand the horror of a car crash until they’re in one. I have been in several car accidents, unfortunately. I often make light of it, remarking that I just have bad car luck. But that’s just a front. My accidents have genuinely traumatized me, the sound of a car crumpling against another is one of the worst sounds imaginable. Sometimes when I drive, I hear it in my head, and I shudder. Although, I try my hardest to view every action with a silver lining. For car accidents, I can only emphasize how they have made me a better driver. The pure memory of a car crash is enough to make me to take driving as an extremely serious thing. Keeping this all in mind, we can all become better drivers by practicing awareness and mindfulness. We need to be focused at the wheel and cognizant of what other people are doing. We need to keep our egos at bay and remember the basics and the foundation laid by Driver’s ED. Combining all of these, we can become better drivers and make the roads safer.