Safe Driver essay contest

Driving is a huge responsibility which can include the liability of all ages. Car accidents can have a range of damage from slight to very severe. Since young adults think they are due for no harm they may not drive defensively. People think the worst that could happen is they will be a in little fender bender, but severe car accidents can happen.

Being educated about the negative effects from an incident and how to be a defensive driver can lower the number of deaths from driving. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claimed, “An estimated 42,915 people died in car crashes in 2021”. This was a 10 percent increase from the year 2020.

The CDC said, “The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens aged 16–19than among any other age group. In fact, per mile driven, teen drivers in this age group are three times as likely as drivers aged 20 or older to be in a fatal crash.” This means the most effective way to prevent accidents is to focus on the teenage ages.

Driver safety school works and helps bring down accidents. Idrivesafe.com stated, “showed that the drivers who had taken a driver’s ed course were involved in fewer crashes: 11.1% of the driver’s ed group, as opposed to 12.9% of those who had not taken a course, had been involved in a crash. The study also showed that those who had taken a driver’s ed course were considerably less likely to get a moving violation ticket. 10.4% of those who had taken a course had received a ticket, compared to 18.3% of those who hadn’t”.

Car crashes are also expensive so even if it costs money to help start up more driver safety schools it would be worth it. Stated by the website Smith System, “Motor vehicle crashes cost U.S. employers some $60 billion annually in medical costs, legal expenses, property damage and overall lost productivity”.

I was never in a car crash until I started driving myself. The first time I was in a rear end accident with 4 other vehicles. I was not at fault and there was nothing I could do because I got hit while I was stopped waiting at a red light. However, everyone in the accident was under the age of 18 and if the person driving had been informed of the seriousness of driving this would not have happened. Another problem that occurs from car accidents is not having a car. I did not have my car for 8 weeks and it created complications. Since I was so used to being my ride everywhere I forgot how stressful it is to find rides. Even if you think that you are a good driver and do not need driving school make sure to think about others. Be considerate and take the course because you do not want to be put in the situation of not having a car.

The second car accident I was in was my friend driving. He had never taken a driving school class. Because of this he did not realize the significance of how weather should affect the speed at which you drive. We were merging onto the interstate on a sharp turn and the roads were wet. We hydroplaned and crashed into the wall. If he had taken the class, this situation might not have occurred. Accidents also cause unnecessary stress and future fear in the passenger’s lives.

The third experience I had was not a car accident, but on the interstate someone’s tires flew off in front of me and I had to get out of the way so it would not hit my car. I hardly had any time to react and had to slide into the other lane and did not get a chance to look over. Luckly no one was on the lane. Driving school can help you know what to check to make sure your car is safe to drive so that you do not put others in danger.

In order for me to be a better driver, I can make sure I use my turn signals. I can drive at the same speed as traffic around me. I can also get into the lane a I need to be in a distance aways from when I need to be in the lane. This will prevent me from cutting off people and putting myself and others in dangerous situations. To my friends who are younger and still do not have their license I can talk to them about the benefits of driving schools and can list the benefits of it.

Next time you get into your car make sure to think about others and be considerate. If you are running late and want to speed, just remember that it will increase your chances of getting into an accident. Make sure your car is in good condition and passes maintenance checks.