Drivers Ed Scholarship

Brooklyn Warner

30 June 2020

Scholarship Essay

Drivers ed Scholarship

I took my drivers ed course in Colorado which had different requirements than the exposure I had living in Utah for school. I remember being absolutely terrified to drive because my course did not focus on the blissfulness of driving or the “right” to drive, but the privilege and responsibility it takes to get behind the wheel. The importance of understanding the road conditions, the drivers need to be sober, the rules of yielding, etc. is achieved through drivers ed courses. Without this tool, death from automobile accidents, I believe, would be much higher. Protectors of the law cannot pull over every driver that is driving recklessly, so it is the responsibility of the individual behind the wheel to keep the roads safe.

The cause of the most deaths by automobile accidents is distracted driving of new and young drivers (15-20yrs of age). While having the world of knowledge and our friends at our fingertips, people are texting, tweeting, and snapping behind the wheel. The road conditions could change in that time someone was to look down at their phone and a fatality could be caused. Steps to prevent this is keeping distractions out of sight and strictly focus on operating the potentially dangerous machinery. Fortunately, I have not been close to any accident and neither have my family members, but my friends have certainly driven while distracted. It terrifies me being a passenger and having my driver look down at their phone every few seconds to the point where I feel responsible to be my drivers eyes: telling them when the light is green, or that they’re drifting from their lane. That should not be the responsibility of the passengers.

I encourage my friends to be less distracted while I am in the car. It works while I’m in the car, but I won’t be able to control or encourage their behavior when they’re on their own. Frankly, I am sure the majority know the dangers of driving while distracted, but they don’t care; constantly reminding my peers that driving with your phone in your hand is the most dangerous thing that they can do. Apple already has the option of setting up a do not disturb when driving, but I think it would be most effective if it that setting was mandatory.