Education is the Strongest Protection

Isabel Kassum

Valdosta High School

10 August, 2020

Drivers Education Essay Contest

Education is the Strongest Protection

Driving down an urban interstate at approximately fifty-five miles per hour, a ringtone signifying a text message resonates throughout the car. It only takes five seconds to check the notification, is it worth it? In those few moments, a car cruising fifty-five miles per hour travels the entire length of a football field. Looking away from the road for an instant may seem insignificant; however, distracted driving is the biggest cause for fatal car accidents, especially for drivers between the ages of fifteen and twenty. Although distracted driving assumes a large portion of causes for accidents, it doesn’t accept the responsibility for all accidents. Other sources of accidents include excessive speed, intoxication, exhaustion, lack of seatbelts, and impaired vision or vehicles.

During the summer between fifth and sixth grade, a family member and I were involved in a car accident that totaled the car we were driving. The cause of this accident was reckless driving. The truck in front of us took a sudden stop in a forty-five mph zone and we were able to stop just in time, barely gracing the back bumper; however, not the same could be said about the car behind us. Although we were able to stop in time, the vehicle coming from behind hit the back of our car and pushed us into the truck. Due to the relatively small structure of our car, the front and back ends became unsalvageable. Thankfully no one was hurt during the accident, but this experience made me a more aware and careful driver.

Walter Dill Scott, one of the first applied psychologists who used psychology in various business practices, states, “The future of the safety movement is not so much dependent upon the invention of safety devices as on the improvement of methods of educating people to the ideal of caution and safety.” I agree with Dr. Scott’s statement and believe the most effective protection against vehicle accidents reside in proper education. Driver education involves information that could one day save someone’s life, such as: useful methods for defensive driving, advice for driving in unconventional weather conditions, basic traffic laws, preventing hazards while driving, etc. Drivers should also take extra steps to ensure safety on the road; for example, silencing their phone and buckling their seat belt before taking off. Although these actions may seem miniscule, they effectively eliminate a prominent distraction for the driver while adding an extra layer of protection. With the right education and safety precautions, there could be a significant drop in the number of fatal accidents. These steps not only protect the driver, but the other people the driver might affect as well. By teaching friends and family about safe driving, responsible drivers can help others become more reliable and competent on the road. One crucial process in becoming an overall safe and defensive driver is acknowledging the presence of others on the road and to constantly be aware of the surrounding drivers and environment.