While it seemed like a chore at the time, specific lessons from my driver's education course have stuck with me to this day and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. I remember completing my driver's ed modules to get on the road and start driving. However, it was not until I saw a specific video on drunk driving that I realized the importance of educating young drivers on their responsibility when they sit behind the wheel. While it can be fun in the moment, driving can have life-altering consequences that happen within seconds and are often preventable. Driver's education is a vital component in teaching not only traffic laws and defensive driving but also the things that can’t be taught on the road. The use of videos and personal accounts from drivers whose lives are forever changed by tragic road accidents instills a deeper awareness of the consequences of driving in a poor mental or physical state.
While teaching defensive driving is a vital necessity to a proper driver's education, teaching the dangers of drunk driving, a factor in 32% of all driving-related deaths, should be continued to be enforced as a dangerous and strictly discouraged action met with both intrinsic and extrinsic consequences. Leaving these long-lasting consequences and dangers engraved in drivers' minds from a young age will reduce the number of individuals who decide they are “safe” to drive and, in turn, decrease the number of driving-related deaths. Distracted driving is also one of the leading causes of car accidents, especially as cell phone addiction and the need for the instant gratification of picking it up to see what your next notification is climbs. Instilling it in drivers' minds that notifications can wait, but the traffic around them cannot can drastically reduce the number of major and minor car accidents each year.
I was involved in a minor car accident where, luckily, everyone left the scene unharmed. While driving with my partner in a very large truck, a smaller vehicle merged into us, leaving no mark on the truck but damage to the other vehicle. While accidents like these are minor, they are impactful and put into perspective how lives can change in just seconds that it takes someone to merge lanes. Too often, I see friends checking their phones to text, call, or send a Snapchat. While in the moment these actions feel necessary, I have always been told “it’s better to get there safely;” any text or call back can wait until after you have reached your destination.
On the roads, since I have been fortunate never to experience a major accident, I often step into my car with a destination in mind and think only of how to get there. I want to step into my car consciously to get myself and others to places safely, and instead of paying attention to how long it will take to get there and how to get there as quickly as possible, concentrate on the steps I take while driving to ensure I am practicing the safest behaviors possible. I hope to spread awareness of just what a privilege but also dangerous activity driving can be. The increasing prevalence of phone use while driving concerns me, and I recognize that I am not immune to the temptation of distractions. I would like to eliminate distractions and help others whom I care for realize the risks that can so simply be eliminated in driving by paying more attention to the roads, driving defensively, and being aware of others and the risks they pose.
Imagining the people I love most being in a tragic car accident is something I worry about often, so why not worry about myself and the actions I am taking each day just as much? Driver’s education teaches valuable lifelong lessons that can be carried into adulthood as I drive myself but also my partner and children. The lessons learned in driver’s education extend far beyond the classroom, shaping lifelong habits that ensure safety on the road. By prioritizing caution, awareness, and responsibility, individuals can drive with confidence, knowing that they are doing everything possible to protect themselves and their passengers.
By making a conscious effort to drive safely and eliminate distractions, I can ensure that I am doing my part to prevent driving-related deaths and accidents. My experiences, both in driver’s education and on the road, have shaped my view of driving—not just as a way to get from one place to another but as a privilege that demands attention and responsibility. I hope to continue learning and growing as a responsible driver while also encouraging those around me to take their responsibility just as seriously.