Drivers ed Essay Contest: No Reset Button

Drivers ed Essay Contest: No Reset Button

The importance of drivers ed in reducing the number deaths resulting from driving is that not only do drivers need to learn how protect others on the road, but they also need to protect themselves on the road by using defensive driving. With defensive driving, the driving student can learn tips and methods that can reduce the numbers of deaths related to driving.

Some steps that can be taken to help drive responsibly are having an adequate amount of sleep before driving, having the seat belt on, being sober while driving, driving the speed limit unless there are environmental hazards such as rain or snow, looking 20-30 seconds ahead, and limiting the distractions in the car such as listening to music, talking on the phone, or picking something up. I believe that these steps are important because being distracted for only a few seconds can cause an accident on the road.

Even though I’m only 16 years old, I have personally been in two car accidents with my mom. The first time, my mom stopped at the traffic light. However, another car was riding her bumper. The man said that something fell off the back seat, and he went to pick it up. Before he knew it, he collided with our car. The second time, my mom stopped the car in the middle of the street because the bus in front of us stopped to let some students off. I remember looking the bus to see how many students would come off. Three seconds later, a SUV crashed into us. It felt like I was suddenly on a roller coaster that I didn’t want to be on. The impact was so bad that both cars were totaled and my mom and I had to see the chiropractor routinely for 2 months. The woman that crashed into us said she just got the car and that she didn’t even have insurance.

My dad recently told me that unlike the driving games I used play, there is no reset button in real life. There is definitely some truth to that. I always wondered how things would be different if those vehicles never hit me and my mom. Would we care so much about driving responsibly if we had never been in an accident? All I know is that I don’t want to be like them when I get my license. That’s why I took a defensive driving class. That way, I can try to actively prevent crashes on the road. I also share my experiences with my friends that are also starting to learn how to drive. I take my driving education seriously because most drivers don’t get second chances. However, if we can educate the next generation of drivers, maybe we can reduce the number of deaths that result from driving.