Becoming a Safer and more Responsible Driver

Michael Haburay

DMV Edu Scholarship Essay

Becoming a Safer and more Responsible Driver

For many years, driving in the United States has been a right of passage and a freedom to the youth community. At the age of 16, one of the youngest in the world, you can obtain your learner’s permit and start your way to getting your driver’s license. This privilege comes with many challenges that are often overlooked and can present many dangers. Driving has been ingrained in society to the point that the dangers that come with it are overlooked and ignored. If we do not analyze and try to fix these problems, potentially many innocent lives will be at risk.

First of all, to become a better and safer driver, you must know the rules and regulations that you are required to follow when you go out for a drive. Using myself as an example, I went through the, “Eyes on the Road Driving School”, where we did 15 classroom lessons as well as 4 hours of driving with an instructor. I went into this course with a basic understanding of driving and the rules; but I came out with all of the knowledge that I needed to be a safe and responsible driver. But the most beneficial part of this experience was driving with an instructor. I feel as though this was one of the most important parts of my drivers ed because it allowed me to get real time feedback on what I was doing well and what I could improve on.

I have formulated some helpful suggestions that you can actively do to improve your driving and become a safer and more responsible driver. The first of which is to plan out your drive times and act accordingly. One of the most common times to get in an accident is when you are rushing to be somewhere. Whether it be late for school or a doctors appointment; when you are late for something, you rush to get there on time. This can lead to speeding, lack of attention to other drivers, and negligence to certain rules. If you leave early and allow yourself an extra 15 minutes of drive time, you won’t feel rushed and will be able to slow down and focus. Secondly, and most importantly, never use your cell phone while driving. I know this sounds like a basic rule, but most people ignore this and use it otherwise. Distracted driving is one of the easiest ways to get into an accident and among the most commonplace. One simple way to get around this problem is with the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind”. Every time I get into my car, I turn my phone on silent and put it in my glove box; this way it will be impossible to distract me while driving.

These are just a few simple things that you can do to improve your driving ability and become a more safe and responsible driver.