Driver Education Initiative Award

Meagan Stremmel

Jan. 5, 2021

836 Words

Driver Education Initiative Award

You are going out. You grab your car keys, put them in the ignition, and start backing out of your driveway in the pitch dark. A car is speeding by, but you do not see them because they do not have their lights on. The next thing you know, there is a loud bang and your head flies into the airbag. Your car is destroyed, and you are now in an ambulance that is rushing to the hospital. Imagine what would have happened if the driver had had their lights on. This is why driver’s education is important.

Driver’s education teaches you the importance of the small, menial tasks in driving that most people take for granted. In the situation above, car damage, serious injury, and possibly death could have been prevented if the driver had simply flipped their lights on. The program also teaches about the bigger tasks that may seem obvious to some drivers, but that other drivers are unaware of. Drinking and driving is a great example. If one goes through driver’s education, they will know that it is extremely dangerous to drink alcohol before, or during, driving. If a driver has never gone through the course, however, they might think that it is no big deal to drink and drive. The use of turn signals might be a more practical example, as most people know not to drink and drive. If a driver does not know the importance of using their turn signal before making turns or changing lanes on a highway, the drivers around them will not know where they are going. If two cars are facing one another at a stoplight, one with their blinker on to turn right and one without their blinker on but planning to turn right, both cars will turn right at the same time, and an accident will be inevitable. The number of death rates would decrease dramatically if every driver on the road followed the instructions that are taught in driver’s education, such as turning one’s lights on, not consuming alcohol before driving, and using a turn signal. All of these things are steps that can be taken towards decreasing the number of deaths that occur on the road.

I, personally, was in a car accident a few years ago. My older sister and I were driving in Southwest Minnesota, in the middle of a blizzard. Usually a forty-five-minute car ride, it took us over two hours to arrive at our destination. We were going ten miles an hour for the majority of the trip, because we were not able to see five feet in front of us. When we finally turned onto the road that held our destination, we both let our guards down and without realizing it, our speed increased. The next thing we knew, our car was spinning off the road, and we ended up in a ditch. I had to crawl through the driver’s side of the vehicle, because the passenger’s side was completely buried in snow. I learned a lot during that excursion, one thing being not to relax when driving, especially in a snowstorm. People must always be alert and focused while on the road, no matter the circumstances.

Along with being more alert, there are other areas of my driving that I need to focus on improving. Before putting the car in drive, I will make sure that my lights are on, and that my mirrors are adjusted so that I can clearly see my surroundings. One misaligned mirror is an accident waiting to happen. I will also make sure that all of my passengers have their seatbelts on, before I even start the car. Passengers without seatbelts are prone to injury. As mentioned above, the use of turn signals is important, but so is anticipation. Even if every driver on the road took driver’s ed, there will always be one who blows through a stop sign or stoplight, cuts you off, or makes a sudden stop. It is crucial to be ready and prepared if any of these situations happen. One way that I will do this is by not moving my car at a four way stop until I am certain that each car around me is planning on stopping or going in the direction that they are implying with their turn signal. Even though this will take patience, it might be the reason that my car does not get totaled.

In conclusion, safe drivers are rare and highly appreciated. It is so important to be courteous of others while driving, but it is just as important to simply follow the rules of the road. Driver’s education makes these guidelines very clear to its participants, and it is an impactful way to raise up safe drivers. I am very grateful that I, personally, went through the program, and I intend to be added onto the list of drivers who were considerate, smart, and safe.