Can You Pass the Driving Test?

The day that I had to go in and take the written test in order to get my driver’s permit when I was 16 years old was nerve-wracking. I had planned on going for weeks and my mom finally relented. She came down the stairs that morning and told me to go get my shoes; we were going to the DMV. I was so nervous that I nearly got sick in the car. Looking back now, I am kind of glad I failed the written test the first time. I was too nervous to even take the test properly, there was no way I should have been behind the wheel! The importance of having these kinds of safeguards in front of getting your driver’s license is extremely important. Educating people on the types of dangers that accompany the responsibility and freedom that come with the ability to drive is beyond necessary. The more education that is required, the less danger there will be in driving-related accidents.

When I was studying for my written driving permit test and even my actual driving test, I had several adults, many of whom had been driving for upwards of 20 years, tell me they doubted that they could pass this basic driving test. When I showed them pictures of some less common traffic signs and asked them what way they would turn their wheels when parking on a steep incline, none had any clue of how to answer. This is extremely dangerous! Both to them and anyone around them while driving! I believe that some steps that could be taken to reduce the amount of driving-related deaths are to require a driving test to be performed every 5 years, no matter how long you’ve had your license. This would stress the importance of knowing with certainty the rules of the road, not just having a general idea of what should happen while in the car. It also raises the question; can you pass the driving test?

I think this retesting rule would benefit several members of my family. My mother for example, often she doesn’t see much of a point in using her turn signal. This is frustrating for both my sister and I. We are younger and both of us remember taking our driving tests. We knew if we had forgotten to use a turn signal or do a rolling stop at a stop sign, then we probably would have failed the test. My father has similar faults, but in my family, I am considered to be the worst driver. I, of course, disagree, but there are some things that I need to work on.

Some of the things that I think I could do to make the road a safer place for both me and others on the road, would be to be more aware of my surroundings. Lately, I have been finding myself getting in my car to head home from work, only to find myself pulling in the driveway! Apparently, this is a common occurrence for many people who take the same route several times a day. That still doesn’t excuse my lack of attentiveness on the road, it scares me a little to think that in my not paying attention, I could seriously injure myself or someone else. I believe that the key to making the roads less deadly is to require proof of education in the form of testing and retesting drivers periodically.