Drivers ed and Beyond

Stefanie Osorio

Drivers ed Initiative Award

Drivers ed and Beyond

One of the most vital steps to take to prevent deaths as a result of driving is drivers ed. Drivers ed teaches us the skills we need to drive. Without it, we would not have a firm understanding of how we are supposed to safely operate a vehicle. We would not know how to make a three point turn or parallel park. Moreover, drivers ed teaches us the laws we need to follow which encourage safe driving. For example, we are taught to not drink and drive or go over the speed limit. We also learn the specifics such as what is the speed limit in certain zones so that we can constantly make sure we are driving the safest we can. Even though drivers ed seems to be very helpful in promoting safe driving, there are other steps that can prove to be just as important.

The other steps to safe driving include the participation of others such as friends, parents, and doctors. Friends can warn and educate each other about any unsafe driving habits that one of them may be practicing. This could prove to be especially effective with teens that are highly influenced by their friends’ opinions. For instance, I have a friend who used to love speeding. She even found it funny that I would get scared when she drove fast. One day I decided to tell her that if she kept speeding, I would not ride with her. Other friends who rode with her began to tell her the same. Hearing that so many people were frightened by her unsafe driving really made her change her driving behavior for the better.  Other influential figures include parents. A study from the National Research Council et al. (2007) suggests that teens and parents create a driving contract to encourage safe driving. Doing so can result in these teens continuing to practice safe driving into adulthood. Finally, that same study suggests that those in the healthcare industry, such as doctors, should make sure to talk with their patients about driving safely. Unfortunately, this is a topic that those in the healthcare industry do not appear to discuss as much as other topics despite unsafe driving being one of the leading causes of death in the United States. With the participation of all of these people we can see ourselves from another angle and become more aware of how we drive and what we can do to improve.

It is evident that these are steps everyone can take to prevent themselves or others from practicing unsafe driving behavior. We all have the ability to educate ourselves and each other to become safer on the road. Even though it might not appear that educating one person about ways to drive safely can make a much of a difference, it does. Everyone who learns how to drive more cautiously or becomes aware of dangerous driving habits is one less risk out on the road.

References

National Research Council (US), Institute of Medicine (US), and Transportation Research Board (US) Program Committee for a Workshop on Contributions from the Behavioral and Social Sciences in Reducing and Preventing Teen Motor Crashes. (2007). Preventing Teen Motor Crashes: Contributions from the Behavioral and Social Sciences: Workshop Report. Retrieved July 25, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9669/