The Critical Mindset on the Road

Driver
education provides a foundation for people to understand the
importance of safe driving. Cars symbolize modernization and enable
people to travel efficiently. However, it is a vehicle that requires
the control and responsibility of the driver. Therefore, driver
education would introduce factors that a driver must take into
consideration to practice safe driving to reduce the number of
incidents. From previous experience, the course focuses on the
comprehension of the driver’s manual, visual experience, and physical
practice. Emphasis on the manual allows people to understand the
benefit of safe driving and prevent accidents. The visual experience
of displaying realistic cases and images on-screen would set the
alarm for people to have precaution before heading on the road.
Finally, the hands-on practice that requires trainees to become
comfortable with the driving environment to reduce tragedies.
Overall, drivers ed sets the guideline of skills, physical, and
mental preconditions for potential drivers, enabling them to reduce
accidents caused by unsafe driving.

A
myriad of steps could be taken to reduce the number of deaths, in
which the most effective are avoiding visual, manual, and cognitive
distractions. Visual distraction happens when drivers are distracted
by devices such as their cell phones, causing them to lose focus on
the road. It causes the driver’s eyesight to deviate from the road,
which puts the driver and others at risk. Manual distractions are
when drivers take their hands off the steering wheel during
inappropriate times, such as sending a text message or grabbing a
snack. It is dangerous and should be avoided because multitasking
distracts the driver from focusing on the road. Subsequently, it is
essential to prevent cognitive distraction, which happens when other
tasks capture the driver’s attention. When the driver is
sleep-deprived or experiencing a stressful mindset, they become less
aware of their surroundings and could make mistakes that would end
their life. To prevent these distractions when driving, drivers
should turn off or mute their cell phone, fulfill their diet before
driving, and be awake when driving. Practicing these steps would
ensure the safety of people in the car and reduce the number of
deaths related to driving.

I
have witnessed my dad and many friends driving irresponsibility. For
instance, my dad was cognitively distracted once because he needed to
pick up my sick grandma at home, and he bumped into another nearby
car when he was backing up. When driving, my dad was very anxious and
worried about my grandma’s illness, causing him to become less
attentive to the environment. The situation could have been avoided
if he had adjusted his mindset before driving or asked another
conscious person to drive for him. Another experience I had was
during my high school graduation party when both of my friends drank
before getting into the car without notifying me. I fell asleep in
the car and was woken up by a police officer because we got into a
traffic accident. My friend that was driving injured her head and arm
and was sent to the hospital. Later, the police officer questioned
my other friend and me on why we thought it was safe to drive under
the influence of alcohol. Although I was unaware that they drank
before driving, this experience made me more cautious of the driver,
and each time I went to a party, I made sure that the designated
driver would not drink any alcohol.

There
are always actions that could be taken to ensure safer driving. Going
through drivers ed is the first step because it sets the
guideline for safe driving for the safety of oneself and others on
the road. Further steps are making appropriate decisions on the road,
such as when to follow the traffic or abide by the traffic limit.
Additionally, stopping at a service area during a long drive or when
felt tired would help the driver to stay conscious, which benefits
everyone’s safety, and decrease the accidents created by hazardous
driving.