Benefits of Drivers Ed

Drivers ed will help teenagers understand the dangers of driving. It teaches safety within the vehicle as well as outside the vehicle. Drivers ed instructs a teenager how to maneuver among busy streets, over railroad tracks, with oncoming emergency vehicles, and driving in both day and night hours. An essential aspect of the drivers ed covers is teaching common courtesy to other drivers and pedestrians. A vital lesson covered is driving while impaired either through drugs or alcohol and NO Texting and driving! Not only does the drivers ed teach about driving a vehicle, but it also teaches them about road signage and the meaning behind the signs.

Professional instructions teach each teenager about the rules and regulations about being behind the wheel of the vehicle. They overview the consequences that can occur when disobeying those rules, and regulations. A significant aspect of drivers ed is that it helps build confidence within a young driver. It’s a very nerve-racking behind the wheel of a machine and not fully understanding how to operate the car. Having an instructor teaching you about safety measures, how the vehicle works, following the rules will give teenage confidence to respond to any situations that may occur while driving.

I have been involved in a head-on collision when I was much younger due to a lady not paying attention to icy road conditions, and she was traveling at high speed. An essential aspect of driving is not to be distracted. The main focus while behind the wheel is to keep your attention on the road and the area surrounding your vehicle. If you are becoming distracted while behind the wheel, then you need to pull over and take care of the distraction. Distracted driving is defined as “if you engage in an activity that takes your eyes off the road, you are driving distracted (Covington, 2020). This distracted driving is something as simple as looking in the rearview mirror at a child, eating, drinking, fiddling with the radio, daydreaming out the window, texting, and numerous other activities that are not paying attention to the road.

There are many steps that one can take to become a better driver: becoming more aware of your environment, fewer distractions within the car, and driving laws. A driver should become more informed about their vehicle, maintaining the vehicle, reading the manual, and knowing how the car reacts in different driving conditions. An essential aspect of knowing your vehicle is utilizing the mirrors on your vehicle. Understanding how to view your vehicle and others. One of my pet peeves are people who DO NOT use turn signals. They are installed for a reason, to keep others safe. Especially pedestrians, when they are crossing the road, if you are not using a turn signal, you can kill them in the crosswalk. Keeping your eyes on the road and not being distracted as well as looking up the road. Knowing what obstacles or other vehicles are in front of you, so you are prepared to stop. One of the best pieces of advice is to take responsibility for your driving actions all the time.

Reference

Covington, T. (2020 June, 29). Distracted driving statistics. Retrieved: https://www.thezebra.com/research/distracted-driving-statistics/#:~:text=An%20estimated%20391%2C000%20drivers%20were,of%20fatal%20motor%20vehicle%20crashes.