Driver Education Initiative – In the Driver’s Seat

In
the Driver’s Seat

Drivers ed is an important class that teaches students the
rules of the road and provides an understanding of what is expected
of them once they get behind the wheel of a vehicle. The class not
only gives textbook knowledge but also experience of being in control
of a vehicle in a real-life setting of driving on the road with other
drivers. The more students that take Drivers ed classes, the
more knowledgeable all drivers will be. The instructors of the
course will have the opportunity to fail anyone that they do not feel
is completely ready to operate a vehicle on their own and need more
training before putting the lives of others and of themselves in
jeopardy.

Steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to
driving, are making it mandatory for all new drivers to attend a
Drivers ed class. Safe driver trackers such as those that
insurance companies use, should be mandatory in all vehicles that are
insured with a driver under the age of twenty one and the results
should be monitored and addressed by the police or state if an
individual is found to be unsafe while driving. All new vehicles
should have anti-wi-fi or internet devices in them that will not
allow devices to work inside of a vehicle unless the gear shifter is
in the park position.

I have never been in a car accident but have seen many on the
interstate and have hoped that the driver’s involved survived. I
have however witnessed family members driving irresponsibly after
drinking alcohol or driving above the speed limit. As I have gotten
older and especially now that I have my license, speak up and call
them out on their behaviors and encourage them to make smarter
decisions to not put theirs, mine, or anyone else’s lives at risk
because of their behavior. I am one of the representatives for my
school for the county led Students Against Destructive Decisions
(SADD) organization and have attended leadership camps to better my
skills at mentoring and educating others about making better choices.

Steps that I can take to be a better and safer driver as well as help
others become safer on the road are:

• 
  Placing my phone out of my reach while driving so that I am not
  tempted to react to it should I receive a call or message.

• Always
  waiting a couple of seconds after a light turns green at
  intersections, in case anyone is crossing through a light that has
  already turned red

• Making
  sure that I leave enough room between myself and others to allow for
  sudden stops or lane changes

• Not
  driving when I am upset or angry so that I am focused

• Staying up
  to date on road rules and changes

• Leading by
  example on the road and speaking up if I see somebody that I know
  not being safe

• Follow the
  road rules and speed limits

• Not drive
  aggressively

• Share the
  fatality statistics at my school so that my peers are more aware of
  the impact that their actions and those of others may have