Drivers Ed is Essential for Safety

Samantha Cloutier
Driver’s Education Scholarship Essay June 17th, 2020

Many people don’t realize the harsh realities of what can happen when they are driving. Youth aren’t taught the realities or they observe the bad habits of family and friends and then think that they can do them successfully because the people they observe do, such as speeding. However, with safe drivers ed, they learn the rules of the road and learn how to perform to those rules. In my driver’s ed course my teacher told us all the statistics of crashes and it really settled with me, so I try to drive as safe as I possibly can so I don’t get into an accident or get pulled over. However, I know many others do not have this teaching and never learn the severity of their actions, and that they can get seriously hurt or injured.

While I have never personally gotten into an accident, my older sister did and it was the most traumatic and terrifying thing she has been through. In her drivers ed they never taught them what can happen if you are unsafe. She had the radio blasting, talking with her friend, and speeding. She ended up going around a corner and flipping the car five times, nearly dying due to items that were in the car (and because of that she also learned to keep her car clean and to store dangerous items such as tent spikes in her car properly). She could’ve gotten severely hurt but we are so lucky and thankful she didn’t.

Drivers ed is a valuable tool that everyone should take. In the classroom you learn the laws of the road, about not driving under the influence, what can happen with unsafe driving, etc. Then, most places have you spend eight to ten hours driving in a car with the instructor where you can learn to put these concepts to the test. You also learn how to take a corner safely, how to slow down without slamming on the breaks, how to follow the speed limit, and many more valuable skills that not only help you pass the driver’s test, but allow you to be a safe driver going forward.

Driver’s education is essential to reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries. While not everything is preventable, you can do the best to control your own actions and keep yourself and others safe on the road. Learning the ways of the road is one of the most valuable

things you can do, and learning the dangers and consequences that come with it is essential to keeping yourself and others safe!