Path to the Driver’s Seat

Applicant: Nathan Cooke Driver’s Education Initiative 2021: In the Driver’s Seat

“Path to the Driver’s Seat”

My first lessons in driver education began in preschool at my friend’s fifth birthday party. We had to take turns riding in his battery-operated truck. We had to make sure we buckle up and stop for pedestrians at the party walking in the yard. I almost hit a parent’s knee! In my young, imaginative mind, my friends and I were all headed to school riding down the familiar streets of our small town. As a preschooler, my mother and father instilled in me to buckle up before driving. I was confident if my parents and I follow the rules, the other drivers on the road would do the same. Driver education is important to reduce driver deaths and improve safe driving. ¹A 2015 study of 150,000 teens found that those that did not take driver’s education were 75% more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident and 16 percent more likely to have an accident. Driver education importance to build confident, knowledgeable, and. cautious people behind the driver’s seat can be seen in four ways. These four topics can be seen in discussing how driver education reduce number of deaths, steps to reduce number of deaths related to driving, reflections on experiences around irresponsible drivers, and learning steps to become a better driver for myself and for others around my community.

Driver education is important to teach a new driver that learning driving rules and regulations keeps the driver and those around them safe from fatal accidents. It was not until my father picked me up one day from little league football practice at age 10 that I knew that all drivers may not drive safe. A driver ran the red light as my father was about to make a left turn. He honked at the reckless driver as we came to a sharp stop. My dad noticed I had my head down with earbuds listening to music. He started telling me the importance of being aware of traffic lights, signs, street names, important landmarks, and other drivers. “ Son, do you know where you are?”, my father would ask me. “You have to drive for yourself and for the other drivers.” It became a game to learn the route to school, football practice, and back home. It taught me the key to observe other drivers and not drive undistracted. Driver education has been offered for many years in high schools across the country.² According to Rocky Mountain Insurance information, a state’s strong restrictions on nighttime driving, restrictions on teen passengers, and raising the licensing age, created a reduction of fatal crashes and insurance collision claims. In state I reside in, a potential driver can take the written exam at 15 years old. After one year, they qualify to take the driving test. Next, a teenager is given a provisional license until 17 years of age. During this provisional time, they are not allowed to have an unlicensed driver in the car with them. This insures the new teen driver is not driving undistracted and lowers the chances of youth deaths. During the pandemic, students were allowed to get a parent/guardian to fill out an affidavit that stated that they had 50 or more hours of driving lessons. This allowed students to get their license so that they could assist the family in driving to work and school. I took advantage of this provision by the governor of our state. I attended school on a hybrid schedule in my sophomore and junior year of school. I attended school both in person and virtually during the pandemic. I was able to take myself to school and my parents were able to follow their work schedule. Driver education teaches the new driver about being a good citizen, watching for your fellow drivers, and following rules.³ Driver education can help reduce insurances rates. Many states offer discounts for driver training programs. Some insurance companies have started Good Student Discount programs. In this program, a full time student that maintains a B average or dean list can qualify for up to 15% car insurance discount.

Driver education gives the new driver steps on how they can reduce the number deaths related to driving. ⁴ A 2016 study by the Center for Disease and Control & Prevention found that six teenagers die every day in motor vehicle accidents. This made motor vehicle crashes the leading cause of teenage deaths. ⁵The National Safety Council reported recently that alcohol, speeding, and lack of seat belts are the three biggest causes of fatalities. These are some tips that can reduce driving fatalities. First, a driver should insist that all passengers buckle up in every seat. Second, one should never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Third, if a person feels they are unable to drive, they should choose a designated driver that can drive safely to your destination. Fourth, a driver should not text and drive. Lastly, a driver should never drive distracted (texting, eating, grooming, arguing.)

My personal driver education occurred behind the driver’s seat and by observing irresponsible drivers. As I neared my 9^th grade year, everyone learned about the Driver’s Education Class at the high school. Only a few classes were available each semester. Juniors and seniors had first choice of the class. The word around school was that the lucky students that were scheduled into Driver’s Education class were destined for an easy grade or an hour to drive off campus with the instructor- freedom. I knew I had to study for my driver’s exam first to qualify for the class. I had to take it twice in the Spring of my 9th grade year. I finally passed! I was so excited. I could finally start getting behind the wheel. My first lesson was to pull the car up to the end of the drive way. Instead of putting the car in drive, I put it in reverse! I tore the wooden fence down at our house! Yikes! I quickly learned that driving would now be so easy as students whispered at school. Months before taking the test for my learner’s permit, I was involved in an accident with my parents in May 2018. Someone hit us from behind as we waited at the stop light. As the light turned green, we felt a big crash. The car felt like it was being pushed to the ground. In pain, my dad was able to leave the driver’s seat after the accident. My dad spoke to the driver that hit us. The other driver admitted that he was texting and driving. His cell phone slipped out of his hand. He took his eyes off the wheel to pick up the phone and hit my family’s car. The other driver’s irresponsible driving cost us three months of therapy by a chiropractor. I had to miss football practice for the summer. Also, we had trouble in car repair. We had to borrow a family member’s car for four months. We are thankful it did not end in permanent injury or fatality. As I neared the year of having my driver’s permit, the pandemic occurred. The students had to attend school virtually. All school activities were cancelled. It was a very difficult time for the country, filled with uncertainty. This also meant I was not able to take my driving test at the Department of Public Safety in my town. Every state agency was closed due to the pandemic. Only essential employees were able to work in the state. This meant I was not able to apply for a part-time job to assist my family. I did not have my license and many stores were closed due to the pandemic. Thankfully, in the summer, the governor gave permission for persons 16 and older to take the driving test if the parents could fill out an affidavit of 50 hours of driving lesson time for the student. Also, the new driver would need to have had their driver’s permit for a year. I had been taught by my parents for a year. Driver’s education class was not available at the schools due to the CDC guidelines on social distancing. As the Fall of 2020 neared, I reflected on the skills learned in the driver’s education manual and my driving lessons by my parents.

In conclusion, driver’s education has allowed me to gain wisdom on steps to grow as a better and safer driver to help others become safer on the road. In the Fall 2020, students had the option to be taught virtually or go to school on a hybrid system. It was my junior year. My family chose for me to attend school on a hybrid system. I was allowed to drive to school. I was so pumped that I drove at exactly 45 miles an hour all the way to the high school on the country back road. One day, I heard a teacher yell my name from the teacher’s parking lot. She ran toward my car. Was my taillight out? Did I not make a turn signal into the parking lot? “I was driving behind you. I was in a rush to school”, Mrs. Butler stated out of breath after catching up to me. “I was running late for a meeting. You drove at the perfect speed limit! I wanted to pass you. You helped me to slow down. If I sped up, I would have gotten a ticket by the officer a mile away. Thank you. Have a great day, Nathan! You were the teacher today.” I thanked her for the compliment. At the end of the day, students poked fun at me and said I was driving slow in the school parking lot. I did not pay attention to their teasing anymore. I have heard about students drag racing in our country town. However, I know speed can kill. I try to be good role model and abide by the rules in the “driver’s seat”.