Why You Should Pay Attention in Drivers Ed

Why You Should Pay Attention in Drivers Ed

Almost every teenager can not wait to turn 16 and finally get behind the wheel. To have the freedom of being able to go anywhere they want at any time. Some are oblivious to the real dangers of driving. This is exactly why taking drivers ed is so important.

Personally, I never knew how dangerous driving really was. Sure I knew the risks of getting in a car accident, but I was not aware of the specifics. Once I took drivers ed at 15, it informed me of the do’s and don’ts when driving and actually kind of terrified me. They told us about wrecks involving teenagers due to drunk or distracted driving. Most teenagers dread drivers ed because of how boring they expect it to be. Given, it can be boring but it is also life saving at the same time. If no one took drivers ed, the number of driving deaths would be through the roof.

While not everyone who takes drivers ed leaves with a new and cautious attitude on driving, those who do are what reduce the number of deaths. Those who fully pay attention to what is being talked about, taking in the information and storing it in their brain, are the ones who are more likely to avoid an accident. If everyone, or most people, practiced safe driving such as avoiding distractions, driving drunk, or speeding, the death rates would be reduced significantly. Recently, I had a huge eye opener on what can happen if you do not pay attention on the road. I was waiting to take a left turn onto my road, when a car turning left onto the road I was currently on, was hit by another car travelling at full speed in the opposite direction. The car that was hit flew in front of me and as I was in shock, I called 911. For the first time since I had been driving, I witnessed a wreck and I was at the front row. This accident made me realize just how easy it is for a wreck to occur. If that lady had looked both directions before taking that left or if the other one coming in the opposite direction had been more cautious and aware, given it was not her fault, that wreck could have been easily avoided.

This has encouraged me to not only be more aware when I am driving but also how easy it is for me to make one wrong move that could potentially be life changing. When I am with my friends, I try to inform them on the dangers of driving whenever I notice they are distracted and I will continue to do that until it is drilled into their heads. My drivers ed teacher once told me that you have to treat driving as if you are the only car that has a brake and I will continue to live by that.