Name: Cole Garvin
From: College Park, MD
Votes: 0
While it my Dad’s
frequent comments towards bad drivers could get a little old, I
consider myself very lucky to have a parent that not only respects
the rules of the road, but actively tries to make an example of smart
driving. I’m thankful that through my dad’s very cautious style
of driving, I was able to go into drivers ed with a similar
confidence, and pass the class without much difficulty.
But even with such a positive driving influence, having someone who
believes they’re a good driver can sometimes mean very little in
the face of a legitimate drivers ed. There are still so
many things that even my vigilant dad wouldn’t have thought to
teach me that I learned through driver’s school, and getting the
experience to drive with another licensed driver while getting my
drive time was incredibly important in ensuring that I could drive
even with anyone other than my dad. Drivers ed is crucial
to reducing the number of deaths caused by driving related accidents
because it makes sure that new drivers fully understand the rules of
the road, backwards and forwards, and aren’t just relying on the
driving abilities of their parent of friend. It leaves far less to
chance, something that can’t be risked when lives are at stake on
the busy road.
Nearly everyone only has the ability to focus on one thing, and one
thing only. Adding things like loud music, a rowdy group of friends,
or the notorious text messages divert the driver’s attention away
from the road, which as so many drivers who have crashed before can
claim- is incredibly dangerous. By simply keeping the car in order,
the driver can keep their attention on the one thing that matters
while driving- the road. Avoiding distractions can help to prevent
countless accidents, and make sure that getting from point A to B
goes smoothly.
While I’ve never been in a crash myself, my parents have multiple
friends that have lost their kids to drunk driving. The worst part
about this is that both incidents were caused not by the kids, but by
other drivers that were drunk while driving. Accidents like this
could be avoided altogether if people just never got into a car while
drunk, and put the lives of other drivers who are just looking to
have a fun night with friends at risk.
I think the first step to being a better driver is acknowledging the
fact many drivers believe that they are better than they really are
at driving. Overestimating one’s own driving abilities seriously
endangers themselves and the drivers around them, and doing so is
such an easy thing not to do. Knowing that I tend to be very
confident in my own driving, I try to counter this by always driving
defensively, and remember that saving a couple of seconds by taking a
risky maneuver is never ever worth the risk I’m putting on my own
life while on the road.
