Driving Education

Khushi Madan

Driving Education

The most independent thing any teenager can carry is their driver’s license, which is like a ticket to freedom. Today, you only have to be sixteen years old in order to get a license. Many people agree that most teenagers at that age aren’t responsible. Driving is a huge responsibility because once your eyes are off the road, anything can happen in an instant. Roughly 1.35 million people die in road crashes each year due to lack of patience and caution. It’s never too late to make a change in the rate of accidents. Taking a driving defensive course or even reducing distractions may be the solution to eliminate these tragic accidents.

I recently have been practicing driving for my road test. I was at a stop sign about to take a right turn, when another driver going straight sped right past me when he had a stop sign too; we would have collided if I hadn’t braked on time. As a result, I learned patience is key on the road, as well as practicing caution. There was no reason to rush at all. My mom always taught me the brake is your best friend.

Steps every driver should exercise to become a better and safer driver are to always watch your speed and always be alert of your surroundings whether it’s speeding drivers or pedestrians. This will help prevent accidents and lower the death rates of driving accidents. There is a common quote about patience most people have heard, which is “Good things come to those who wait.” If you have patience, especially on the road, you will most likely have a safer journey.

Distracted driving is also a major safety issue. According to research from the National Highway Safety Association, about 37.1% of respondents have agreed that distractions on devices can divert your mind from driving, but also of those, 28.6% of respondents have admitted to checking their phones while driving. Some ways to practice safe driving are to silence your phone so you’re not urged to check it or to keep your phone out of reach, or you can even connect your bluetooth to take urgent calls.

Drivers ed improves a driver’s sense of security and confidence; a defensive driving class teaches you each specific rule rather than only a general introduction to driving. Taking the time to teach you all the do’s and don’ts means you are prepared for each type of incident, which prevents more accidents overall. Teaching drivers of any age safe techniques to avoid hazards such as reckless actions by other drivers or weather risks will improve your skills as well. Another benefit of taking a defensive course is the cost of car insurance which will become lower in the future. For the most part, driving gives many a sense of power which is great as long as we have it in control.