Drivers ed: Striving to Create a Safer Society

Driving
education is a very important aspect of our daily lives. The dangers
of driving on the roads today are devastating and one needs to be
prepared before being put into this kind of danger. Nowadays people
want to accomplish everything in the fastest way possible; however,
the amount of time saved is not worth the cost of someone’s life. One
aspect of drivers ed is analyzing accidents that have
happened; specifically, studying the results and ways the accident
could have been avoided. One of the benefits of learning about
previous accidents is that people will know the true cost of reckless
driving. Additionally, people will learn how those accidents could
have been prevented which educates them further. Without this
education showing accidents that have happened to ordinary people,
no one will believe that an accident will happen to them. Steps that
can be taken to result in fewer casualties on the road include:
educating young drivers on the dangers and responsibilities of
driving, strictly enforcing the practice hours for driving on a
permit, including a requirement to practice driving on various road
conditions, and continued drivers ed throughout one’s life.
For example, my mother, who has a history of driving too fast, was
pulled over several months ago for speeding. This was a blessing in
disguise. She was required to attend driving school, in which she
learned of many laws she had not known about previously. Her own
drivers ed occurred more than 35 years ago. This type of
continued education has had a very positive impact on her driving
habits.

A
couple years ago, my mother and sister were in a car accident. The
other car ran into the back of their vehicle which resulted in my
sister having neck pain and my mother having back pain. The entire
process was stressful for both sides. This was unnecessary stress
because the accident could have been avoided had the driver been
paying closer attention to road conditions. Many student drivers will
avoid practicing in bad road conditions, but that is actually
valuable experience that they are missing out on.

I
believe that I could improve my own driving by focusing more on the
road than my thoughts or the music playing in my car. I have found
that many people who have driven for longer than a year get more
distracted by little things because they are more used to driving and
do not believe that they have to be as careful. I recently downloaded
the life360 app to develop another level of accountability. This app
tracks one’s phone at all times. I have shared my location with my
parents and it reports my driving habits to them as well.
Additionally, this app would also let my parents know of any phone
usage while I am on the road. I highly recommend technology of this
kind especially for newer drivers to help them develop healthy
driving habits. In conclusion, drivers ed is very important
for producing responsible drivers and keeping the roads safe. This
education benefits newer drivers as well as older drivers. While one
needs to be taught the rules of the road, the other needs to be
refreshed and taught any laws that have come into existence since
their original education.