Driver Education Initiative – Steering away from the Trouble

Britney Villeda

• What
  is the importance of drivers ed in reducing the number deaths
  as a result of driving?

• What
  steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to
  driving?

• Have
  you ever had an experience of being in car accident or have seen
  your friends or family members driving irresponsibly?

• What
  steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help
  others become safer on the road?

The creation of automobiles, was perhaps, one of the most important
inventions known to mankind. At least once during a certain point of
a person’s lifetime, the desire to own a car becomes overwhelming.
However, blinded by desire, people often forget about the downside
of driving; the current danger and constant risks at hand. Now, in
the 21^st century, more young teens are found behind
steering wheels and operating their own cars than ever before. With
this new trend in society comes a new statistic, however. The rate of
teenage car accidents was found to be three times greater the rate of
car accidents for people aged 20 and older.

Due to the startling percentages found by the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention, action is needed to be taken regarding the
severity of the issues at hand.

First and foremost, it is necessary to have any and all future
drivers be educated with the laws placed for driving within each
state. By educating the masses, drivers are able to pay better
attention to what they need to do on the road, rather than coming to
conclusions about traffic laws. As observed by the Newsroom, a
new study that followed more than 150,000 teen drivers over eight
years has found that drivers education significantly reduces crashes
and traffic violations among new drivers. By learning about driving,
students can recall important information while driving, and prevent
delayed reactions due to forgetfulness.

To reduce the
number of deaths related to driving, various actions can be taken,
both in large and small scales. As a major cause of car accidents
happens to be the inability to see at night or clearly, more lights
can be placed in areas that are normally dark, reducing drowsiness
and the inability to see straight. Another leading cause of car
accidents is the recklessness and speed used by certain drivers. In
order to prevent this, more speed bumps can be implemented on the
streets, forcing drivers to conduct at lower speeds and reduce the
force of a potential impact.

I, personally,
do not own a car, but have been in enough car rides with my friends
and people my age to know that driving safely is not a priority or
major concern. Thankfully, I have been able to stay out of car
accidents, although I don’t know how, as my friends are known to
speed and drive recklessly. I fear for the safety of my friends,
especially as they do not have as much experience as older drivers.
For this reason, I want to be able to encourage the implementation of
greater drivers ed. Many students do not have the money to pay
for drivers ed classes, and so resort to free sources such as
Youtube. For these reasons, they do not get the quality education
they need, and thus, are not as impacted. I believe drivers ed
should be mandatory and taught in all schools, so drivers are
guaranteed a quality education.

To become a
better and safer driver, I can educate myself more as to why certain
driving rules exist. When accompanying a friend or family member, I
can keep my eyes on the road and act as a “co-pilot.” To prevent
drowsiness, I will make sure to get enough sleep and wake my senses
up before making the decision to drive. As the old saying goes, it is
better to waste a minute of your life, than your life in a minute.
Becoming better educated is the key to preventing the large amounts
of car accidents.