The Freedom of a License

Chloe Allendorf

15 November 2020

The Freedom of a License

For something that is frequently taken for granted by many Americans, driving can be alarmingly dangerous and even fatal. We all assume that it’s never going to happen to us but the reality of the situation is car accidents are one of the leading causes of death in the United States. They’re so common that every American will likely get in four car accidents in their lifetime at the very least. Any of those four could be fatal. We’re taught to drive defensively as if we will only encounter offensive drivers. While this is mostly true and important for our safety, driver education must take a step further to uphold long-lasting practices in peaceful and responsible driving. After a person earns their license, they have to be trusted to make their own choices to protect others on the road. Shouldn’t driver education be a more prominent aspect of adult drivers as well to ensure that the significance of responsible driving is not forgotten?

Although it takes more than education to see a difference in the safety of driving, knowledge and awareness target the root of the problem. People must be aware of the many causes of car accidents. Then, they must learn how to prevent themselves from making common mistakes that can lead to an accident. It’s important to acknowledge that a car accident isn’t always a one-way effect—a responsible driver’s death could be at the hand of an ignorant driver’s mistake. This is why driver education emphasizes the importance of following the law and paying attention to our own emotional and physical states. We must be taught as if we were the irresponsible driver so we can be conditioned to avoid those issues before they happen in the first place. However, we need to make sure these values aren’t diminished after a driver gets their license. Freedom can be misused and can feel less impactful as driving becomes a more casual, daily part of life. Driver education must be refreshed through commercials, PSA’s, billboards, or even online lessons to remind the general public about the effect we can have on others while driving. Making the right decisions to promote safe driving should be normalized even if it seems like a hassle to do so at first, such as calling a friend or family member for a ride rather than driving while tired or even under the influence.

I’m incredibly grateful to say that I’ve never been in a car accident. The few accidents that my family members have gotten in have never been fatal and the majority of the time they were left with no injuries. For me, the impact of these events is knowing how it could have been worse. I’ve learned to recognize when I take my safety for granted. I’ve also found it beneficial to keep asking my parents questions about driver safety. A driver can never stop learning how to make responsible decisions. With longer-lasting education, safety on the road will be widespread and permanent.