Speed isn’t all it’s Cracked up to be

Getting your car is a right of passage. It’s something special that can be shared with your peers, family, and friends. However, more often than not, our cars are portrayed as luxury items or toys. They are advertised as items used to have fun or flaunt for the world to see. We can see this on media such as movies, Youtube, and even car commercials. Carelessness with our vehicles; however, can lead to irreversible consequences. Consequences that not only impact you, but extend to other unsuspecting drivers.

My dad’s brother died in a car accident, because another driver wasn’t paying attention. His family was forever changed as a result. His wife was left without an income and his child was left without a dad. Due to this experience, my dad will always be cautious on the road. He often reminds me to be careful, simply because that experience still haunts him. My uncle’s death serves as a reminder to all of my extended family the dangers and heartache that can occur from careless driving.

Driver’s education is crucial to combat the media and sensationalization of cars. Teens need drivers education to bring to their attention the various dangers and consequences that exist when driving a car. While driver’s education is often portrayed as banal and dull, it’s essential to combat the negative influences of the media. Many of my friends still vividly remember videos depicting the gruesome effects of an accident that was shown during drivers education.

While we can’t combat media portrayal of cars and advertising, we can update the education videos shown during drivers education. Many of the videos I was shown during drivers education were laughably outdated. The cars depicted didn’t resemble any of the new makes and models today. The teen slang and acting were from the 90’s and early 2000’s. None of my peers could relate to the content and oftentimes the portrayals were mocked, rather than taken seriously. This simple aspect of drivers education turned the experience to be laughable and lighthearted, rather than serious and a modern problem. It made the issues seem outdated, when in reality the problems still exist today, and are getting worse. By updating the videos and content in drivers education, we can make the content seem more relevant. Students will feel a more personal application to the material being taught and the warnings will resonate better.