Driver Education Initiative Essay

Tyler Turner

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

8/19/2020

Driver Education Initiative Essay

Traffic deaths are in the top five reasons for death in the United States. Driver safety is paramount when on the road and educating young and new drivers is the best way to ensure that safety. In order to drop the death toll for traffic situations, driver safety and education need to be improved.

The more education a driver has before they get on the road, the more likely they are to safely get off the road. Having the knowledge of different driving situations can put you out of potentially harmful situations and save your life. Building your response time to dangerous stimuli and signals even if my milliseconds, could save a person’s life. This all begins in the type of education you receive before you get on the road. Knowing the signals and signs of traffic dangers intuitively will help save yourself, and by proxy, anyone else on the road at that time. Similarly, steps focusing on maintaining attention on the road, and avoiding driving while under the influence of alcohol. Attention is the most important factor in regards to driving safely. Your attention is what guides you on the road and is what will save you in a dangerous situation. This means avoiding the use of cell phones and other attention grabbing devices or apps while driving. Maintaining a certain level of wakefulness and consciousness is also imperative to good driving habits. These devices will be there waiting for you when you arrive, so it is best to put them aside during your drive. Also, driving while under the influence of alcohol is an extremely dangerous activity. It actively inhibits your attention and reaction time, which are both essential to safe driving. With apps like Uber and Lyft, it is foolish to engage in this reckless activity.

I personally have been in a few car accidents throughout my life and I hope to never be in one again. Getting into a car crash makes you scared of the road and scared of driving which makes you not want to go anywhere. It can deeply affect your health and your future. It is widely known that the road is very dangerous, but being a part of a car accident makes that fear severely more palpable. I often witness poor driving habits as well when in the passenger seat that gives me residual fear of my accident. I see friends or family members texting while driving or driving after having a few drinks and it scares me to the core.

In order to be a better driver, it is important to realize that you are not the only person on the road, and that your actions can deeply affect those around you. When driving, that should be your main focus and activity. Making sure you get from point A to point B in the quickest and safest way possible should be your main concern.