The Importance of Proper Drivers ed

The Importance of Proper Drivers ed

By Mayanah Abdul

We live life blindfolded sometimes, never considering that bad things can happen to us until they do. At least that was the case for me when I thought that I could make it to work, running on 3 hours of sleep. I thought I was generally a good driver, I had a clean record, and I wasn’t as bad as other people (or so I thought). Yet I still got behind the wheel with no energy to drive. I got into my first accident that day. I fell asleep behind the wheel on a highway. I’m extremely grateful that no one involved was hurt. I was so tired I didn’t even remember falling asleep until I rammed into the car in front of me. There was a lot of traffic, and I realize that it could’ve been a lot worse. I thought I was in control. I thought I knew my limit. I thought I was going to make it, and right before my exit, I almost died. I endangered another man’s life that day, me, the ‘perfect’ driver. I also lost my first car.

Perhaps this disbelief that these kinds of things can happen is the result of the fallacy that our lives cannot be just as heart wrenching or amazing as movies. We live as if the worst things (and sometimes best) that can possibly happen to us only exist in our unreachable imaginations. This is not true. Furthermore, taking on this kind of mindset while driving is not only dangerous for the driver, but also anyone within the drivers’ environment. Individuals lacking proper drivers ed add to the potential increase of deaths and accidents. Alternatively, if we all were to take drivers ed more seriously, more people would be more aware to make consciously safe decisions while on the road rather than assuming tragedy will never happen to them. Consequently, this reduces the number of deaths as a result of driving.

After my experience of driving irresponsibly, I took a drivers ed class that helped me learn a lot about being safe on the road and keeping others safe. However, nothing has taught me more about driving responsibly than both my experience, witnessing irresponsible driving, and hearing the stories of those who weren’t as fortunate as me on the road. I believe more advertisements, as well as school programs should be created that share testimonies like these. I believe they add a sense of reality to the discussion about safe driving, and I hope in sharing my experience, I help others become safer on the road as well.