The Safeguard That is Safe Driving

When I began to take driving lessons at my local RMV, I was taken aback by the amount of time and effort the RMV required for me to pass my drivers test, complaining about the high standards set by the administrators. It was once I passed my test and was driving on the road that I realized the importance of my driving education, how I’d learned it, and how it could help me avoid dangerous accidents.

Something I didn’t fully realize until I received my license was how useful basic lessons were in maneuvering the road, even in different situations. My driver’s education allowed me to fully learn the rules of the road, such as how to shift lanes safely or how to maneuver my car in bad weather.

However, those lessons extended past simple practice. When I was lost on the highway without my parents to help me, my ability to shift lanes quickly and without swerving while going at a high speed was one of the most important aspects of helping me avoid a crash. When it was raining heavily and I was driving my sister home from a friends, my practiced awareness of my surroundings helped me to avoid colliding into an oncoming car hidden by the downpour.

The kind of knowledge I picked up through my driving education and experience allowed me to handle unexpected situations with care, using what I already knew about the road to navigate my way to safety. I now understand that that education is the main safeguard in guiding new drivers on the road, and what could prevent hundreds of deaths.

The best way to pick up these basic skills is from simply practicing more and practicing with experienced drivers. Driving is not an intuition you’re born with, it’s a skill that requires built up and maintained effort that you can only get by practicing consistently, as I’ve learned the hard way. Even if it’s for a few minutes everyday, driving with a neighbor or parent can increase your awareness of the road, your understanding of signals and signs, and your future ability to maneuver out of dangerous situations.

However, this is more efficient with experienced drivers, because they are actually able to teach you what it’s like to abide by the rules of the road, instead of inadvertently teaching you to drive recklessly. Driving with experienced people will allow you to study the overall concepts of driving, but it will also teach you specific maneuvers and tips that you can use in those specific situations.

For example, I remember when I needed to get into the left lane to turn left, I was blocked off by cars and unable to enter. My mom instructed me to poke the tip of our car into the lane so that the car behind us could see we were trying to enter, resulting in me being safely able to maneuver into the left turn. My moms experience allowed her to help guide me into navigating a situation I hadn’t expected to handle, allowing me to later use that information when I was driving on my own.

While I’ve talked about the importance of safe driving through mostly positive experiences, there have been instances where I’ve felt unsafe while in a car. The one I reflect on the most was when I was sixteen years old in a vehicle that was being driven by another friend who had their license. The car was full of people, with a friend even laying down horizontally on my lap so they could fit in. My friends began to ask the driver to do “happy car,” a maneuver where he would jerk the wheel left and right to give the car a rocking sensation. My friend obliged, swerving the car back and forth for what felt like forever until he stopped, laughing.

I remember feeling terrified because of how out of control the car felt, as if at any moment, we could crash. It was an experience that allowed me to somewhat understand how easy these kinds of accidents happen, and how important it is to maintain a proper practice of road safety and education.

In conclusion, a proper driver’s education is vital to maneuvering the road safely and is most effective when obtained through steady practice and proper supervision. Otherwise, incidents like the one I experienced can become more normalized, with many facing the consequences of what I was lucky to avoid that night.