One License Says So Much

Tahnbee Chang

September 23, 2020

Driver’s education

One License Says So Much

It’s a vast milestone in every teenager’s life to acquire a driver’s license. After 30 classroom hours and six hours of behind-the-wheel, every teenager is approved to test for a driver’s license. Within the 30 classroom hours, every teenager learns not only the “rules of the road” but the safety measures that are taken to prevent an unfortunate accident. Little things such as: not consuming alcohol before driving, being well-rested, being in a calm state of mind, eliminating all distractions, paying attention to the road signs, yielding and letting cars pass, etc. but most importantly: take responsibility for your actions

As someone who has gone through a driver’s education as a teenager. I will admit that it’s benefited me so much especially when it comes to stop signs and yielding. Paying attention to the stop signs was one thing that was instilled and is still something that I adhere to. I know stopping at the stop signs is not something that most people who did not go through the driver’s education course adhere to or understand. Stopping distance is also another thing that I adhere to. It’s easy to accelerate but hard to come to a complete stop in a few seconds. I do remember this one accident with my mom. We were driving and this one car was speeding and didn’t stop in time. My mom’s car was hit from behind and I saw something that I’ll always remember for the rest of my life. The driver got out of the car and let the person sitting in the passenger’s seat move over to the driver’s seat and take the blame for the accident.

From that moment on I learned why driving is an immense responsibility. There is guilt that ensues from an accident caused by the driver which is exactly why acknowledging the cause of an accident is immensely difficult. In driver’s education you not only learn the precautions and skills of being a safe driver but how to take responsibility. Learning how to take responsibility may have only been taught for a day’s worth of classroom hours but is still vital to every driver. Accidents happen unintentionally and when least expected. Driver’s education teaches teenagers how to take responsibility by exchanging insurance cards, examining the damages, assisting the injured, keeping the injured warm, calling an ambulance, etc. Taking responsibility may save a life even after an accident.

As a driver today I still am very cognisant of the road signs, safety precautions, possible distractions, etc. but understand that accidents still happen fortunately I have never been in an accident myself but I know my mom has. My mom has been in numerous car accidents that have never left her injured but a very heavy feeling afterward. Just from my mom’s experience, I can say that I’ll use the skills that I’ve acquired from my driver’s education course to do my part on being a safe driver. Being a safe driver may not entail complex procedures but requires simple things a driver may over look.

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