Steering Toward Safety: The Drive for Better Education

Driving requires responsibility, skill, and awareness to ensure safety. Driver’s education helps new drivers learn traffic laws, defensive driving, and the dangers of reckless behavior. Not all students have access to these programs, which can leave them unprepared for real-world driving. My experience with driver’s ed has given me essential skills, and I believe expanding these programs could help reduce accidents and save lives.

Driver’s education plays a big role in reducing driving-related deaths by teaching new drivers the rules of the road, safe driving techniques, and the dangers of behaviors like speeding, distracted driving, and driving while under the influence. I was lucky in the sense that my high school still offers a driver’s ed course to help students learn key safety skills such as defensive driving, how to handle poor weather conditions, and understanding traffic laws. Although it can be intimidating, behind the wheel preparation gives students opportunities to experience different situations and scenarios with an experienced and trained driver. Through this, I learned how to handle poor weather conditions and what to do in situations that can’t be taught in a book. My brother has a friend who lives in a different state, and they do not have a driver’s ed course in his high school. It’s up to his parents to teach him everything unless they want to pay high fees to take him elsewhere for a course. Unfortunately, many people may not have the finances to provide this for their kids. I think this could be dangerous and reduce the amount of information inexperienced drivers have before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. This can also put everybody on the road in danger unnecessarily.

Quite a few steps can help reduce driving-related deaths, including more police presence and stricter enforcement of traffic laws. Forcing schools to provide driver’s ed classes would be valuable and educating new drivers about the dangers of reckless driving, texting while driving, and driving while under the influence would also be beneficial. Newer vehicles have safety features that can assist with this; for example, my mom’s car has an automatic braking system and warnings when she switches lanes, or it senses that she’s following a car too closely. Her car will automatically adjust the speed when she uses cruise control, and it senses a car a certain distance from her. My car is older and doesn’t have any of these features, which is why education and enforcement are vital for safety reasons. I’ve watched people dangerously drive too fast down our country roads and through my neighborhood where kids play and ride their bikes and scooters. Accidents can happen to anybody, but new drivers don’t always anticipate what could be the result of their choices, and these steps could decrease accidents. 

Thankfully, I have not been in any accidents personally, but I go to school with kids who engage in dangerous driving behaviors, and some of them have been involved in accidents. In fact, one accident was due to texting while driving. When my family travels together and sometimes even in our own small town, we see drivers texting, talking on their phones, and speeding (sometimes 20+ mph over the speed limit). Some drivers also weave in and out of traffic, which puts others at risk. I know how easily those behaviors could lead to accidents and even death. My mom always points these things out to me and my brother and witnessing it has made me more aware of the importance of being a responsible driver. Not only do I have to worry about my own driving, but I also must worry about what other drivers might do around me. My brother recently got his driver’s permit, and that has also made me more aware of my surroundings. (It’s been frightening at times, and now I know how my parents felt when I first learned to drive.) I try to give him reminders about checking the blind spot, watching the speed limit, being aware of his surroundings, and always anticipating what somebody else on the road could do. Helping him as a passenger in the car has definitely been a learning experience for me!

Finally, I know that I can make a commitment to stay focused, follow the traffic laws, and continue learning how to be a defensive driver on the road. I don’t text while driving and I try to always be aware of my surroundings. I live in a small town where kids are always outside playing or riding their bikes, and I know one bad choice behind the wheel could end their lives. Now that my brother is learning to drive, I also need to set a good example for him and teach him some of what I know about safe driving. If my friends aren’t safe, I can speak up and would be comfortable doing so because I care about them. In addition, I can be a designated driver to keep family and friends off the road after they’ve been drinking. It would be devastating to see a preventable tragedy happen. Encouraging safe driving habits is one way I can make the roads safer for everybody. 

Safe driving protects everyone on (and off) the road. By staying focused, following traffic laws, and setting a good example, I can help promote responsible driving. Whether reminding my brother of safe habits, speaking up when friends drive recklessly, or being a designated driver, I can do my part to prevent accidents. Expanding driver’s education and encouraging safe practices will also make roads safer for everyone.