The difference of action and education with driving

The difference of action and education with driving

Drivers ed can be the difference between life and death. According to an article by Leslie Reed with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 2015 “young drivers who have not completed drivers ed are 75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident and 16 percent more likely to have an accident”. Drivers ed is an important tool for any driver; however, drivers ed is not the only thing that can make a difference in driver safety, individuals can also take steps to improve safety on the road.

Being able to drive a car is more than having a license. The numbers from the study done with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln speak for themselves when it comes to the importance of drivers ed. While drivers ed does teach basic driver information, they also teach more important aspects of driving such as how right of way works, strategies for emergencies, how to change lanes safely, and more. Knowing right of way could be the difference in a head-on collision. Changing lanes safely is an important skill as, I have almost been in multiple accidents due to people not using signals, or by people cutting me off to change a lane. I was almost in a car accident on the way to work one day because traffic came to a sudden stop, thankfully I had the recommended three car lengths between myself and the car in front of me, however, I heard the screeching of tires for cars that were not following this rule of thumb. Thankfully I also knew of a strategy for this emergency, I knew that should I not have been keeping proper distance I could have gotten on the side of the road instead of slamming on my breaks and hoping for the best. While I have not had to use this strategy, knowledge could be the difference between life and death, or at least a hospital visit, in the future.

Drivers ed, while important, is not the end all be all when it comes to driver safety. There are many things that individuals can do to keep everyone safe on the road. I know that my mother tends to get distracted while driving, as a passenger I do my best to keep her focus on the road and discourage her any time she takes her hands off the road or turns her head to look out the window at some distraction. When I go to parties, I ensure that everyone has a designated driver if they are drinking. I have a family friend that lost their life due to a drunk driver. Because of this I take drinking and driving very seriously. It is dangerous but is easily avoidable through a confrontation of those who are intoxicated. Acting and speaking out when you see distracted driving is one of the biggest things an individual can do to assist in safe driving.

Works Cited:

Reed, Leslie. “Study: Drivers Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets.” Study: Drivers Ed Significantly Reduces Teen Crashes, Tickets | News Releases | University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Office of University Communications University of Nebraska–Lincoln, 13 Aug. 2015, newsroom.unl.edu/releases/2015/08/13/Study:+Driver’s+ed+significantly+reduces+teen+crashes,+tickets.