Importance of Drivers Education

As the car was in the air it turned on its side, hit the ground and rolled several times. His windows were smashed and he even shattered the back window with his head, knocking him unconscious. When he finally woke up, the car had miraculously landed on all four wheels. He crawled out of his car with blood running down his face and pieces of glass in his head. His whole car was completely smashed from the hood lodged up against the front windshield to the frame being bent, almost mimicking a half circle. This is a very frightening event that my dad experienced. So far, I am fortunate enough to have not been in a car crash at this point in my life. My dad explained to me that when he was a young driver he was driving home at one o’clock in the morning when he fell asleep at the wheel. At the time, he was driving on a two lane road when he crossed the centerline and drove into the ditch. From the ditch, he also hit a driveway which acted like a ramp that threw him into the air and rolled his vehicle multiple times. Clearly, this is something I hope nobody has to go through. My dad is always looking out for me when it comes to driving to make sure I am aware and safe on the road. Afterall, he is very lucky to have walked away from that crash. My dad is living proof as to why it is important to educate all drivers on the importance of laws, safety precautions and the risks of driving. Educating people to become safe and responsible drivers is key to reducing the number of deaths related to driving.

Did you know, in 2020 there were 680,000 distracted driving accidents in the United States? Driver’s education has never been more important. Especially as we become more dependent on technology in our day to day lives. Distracted driving has remained a consistent source of fourteen to seventeen percent of all crashes in the United States (Coleman 2023). According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, there are three types of distracted driving. First, visual distractions that take your eyes away from the road. For example, looking at your GPS or setting your cruise control. Second, manual distractions that contribute to taking your hands off the wheel. This can include eating, using your phone or even something as simple as changing the radio station. Third, mental distractions that take your mind away from driving like singing and talking. Though these seem like simple distractions, it is alarming as to what one split second can do to change your life. Educating drivers about being aware of their surroundings, while also being aware of their distractions is key to reducing driving deaths. In many states texting and driving it against the law, however, it is still the number one distraction. Driver’s education coaches each individual on basic driving skills and laws to ensure safe and smart driving. As a matter of fact, young drivers who do not enroll in driver’s education are 75% more likely to disobey rules and regulations and get a ticket. Additionally, they are 24% more likely to be involved in fatal accidents and 16% more likely to get into accidents (Rogers 2022). This proves the importance of drivers education in reducing deaths and saving lives.

We need to react to the alarming number of driving deaths in our country. We can start by eliminating any and all distractions while driving. As we discussed in the last paragraph, distractions are everywhere. Although it is easier said than done to completely eliminate them, it is important to recognize them and their risks. Using electronic devices, drowsiness, eating and even something as simple as talking may take your focus away from the road and change your life in an instant. As a driver you are the one responsible for the lives of the passengers in your car and in some situations the lives of others sharing the road. It is negligent and careless of someone to give into the temptation of, for example, texting on their phone and potentially harming themselves, their passengers or even responsible drivers on the road. The next step is to have a good attitude while driving. This may seem like an absurd thing to suggest, but emotions have a major impact on the way a person drives. For example, road rage is very common among drivers. Road rage, more often than not, leads to extreme aggressive driving which could potentially endanger people or property. Road rage can lead to irrational behavior like cursing, ramming or even forcing a driver off of the road. However, careless driving can be just as harmful as road rage. According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, certain driver performance errors, including committing a right-of-way error, sudden or improper braking or stopping, failure to stop at a stop sign, and being unfamiliar with a vehicle or roadway increased the risk of crashing. These emotion related accidents can be prevented. It is important to stay calm, have patience and share the road. Lastly, driving under the influence is one of the more dangerous causes of accidents. 43% of Americans have admitted to driving under the influence of alcohol (hurst 2021). 31% of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involved drunk drivers (NHTSA). These accidents can be easily avoided with the technology we have access to. Taxi and Uber services are more common than ever. These services are simple and safer for yourself and other people on the road. Do the responsible thing and avoid driving under the influence.

One step I can take to be a better driver is to be more aware when I am driving. A lot of times I find myself driving on autopilot or I catch my mind wandering. This can put myself and other people around me in danger as it relates back to mental distractions that take my brain’s focus off of the road. Though daydreaming is a common human behavior, over a five year period 61% of distracted drivers were lost in thought (WKW). Mind wandering is most common when a driver is bored or tired. To prevent this, I understand it is okay to take frequent breaks and to not push myself to keep driving beyond what I can handle. I am determined to take these steps to limit my daydreaming and be aware of my distractions while driving. I could not only save my own life but someone else’s. Aware and responsible driving pays off when myself and people around me get to their destination safely.