The Importance of Being a Safe Driver

It has been said many times that education is the foundation on which a society builds its future, and driver education is no different. As a beginning driver, driver education creates the basis for the skills needed to be safe in a vehicle. There is no question that when cars are not properly operated, the effects can be dangerous and devastating, which is why driver education is essential in promoting safety both as a driver and as a passenger. The process of being able to make changes starts with awareness, and for beginning drivers, this often means learning about the impact and responsibilities that come with being a driver. For example, in my driver’s education class, we learned about the effect of driving under the influence of alcohol and how it can affect the lives of innocent people forever. Without this type of education, deaths related to impaired driving seems like nothing more than a statistic, yet when drivers learn about the real things that happened due to their actions, it turns into a tragic story that no one will forget. Keeping these essential connections in mind, drivers can go out into the world and be safe because their education as a driver has formed a bridge between statistics they hear and stories they can relate to their own lives. Without this type of education, these connections would not be made, and the responsibilities and impact a driver has would not be clearly understood by many people.

I think that while initially education is the first step towards reducing deaths, continued education is the key to keeping the death rate caused by cars and driving low. Though everyone learns about driving safety when they first learn how to drive, it is essential that people are reminded that the safety must continue even when they feel like they are an experienced driver. Often experience leads to people feeling comfortable, and while comfort is a good thing, it can also lead to dangerous decision-making, overconfidence, and overlooking basic safety procedures. Reminding drivers that their impact continues even when they have a great deal of experience in driving would help to ensure their continued safety. Taking steps to keep experienced drivers informed about the dangers of driving and how essential it is that they take steps such as never driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, always wearing a seatbelt, and avoiding distracted driving would help safety to be a top priority whenever they get into a car and would decrease the number of driving related deaths.

The very first day I got my provisional license, I was in a car accident. As a responsible student and person, I never really thought that I would be the one in an accident, but this experience made me realize that car accidents can happen to anyone. As I was driving back from tennis tryouts on a main road, a truck pulled out from a side street and hit the side of my car. Though the accident was not my fault, it was terrifying to experience, especially given that the other driver, a middle aged male was very angry and seemed to want to hold me, a 16 year old female, responsible for his mistake. I was alone, overwhelmed, and extremely frightened, and the repercussions of his harsh words and my fear still affect me to this day. When I am in the car, and I see another car getting ready to pull out into the road, I have a flashback to the moment of the crash, and am reminded of the need to always check before turning, or even going forward.

I am lucky to have many responsible people in my life, but occasionally, even one of them will be an irresponsible driver. I really believe that my experience of being in a car accident on my first drive alone gives me a heightened sense of responsibility for the safety of myself and others in a car. Since I have witnessed firsthand how traumatizing the mistakes of a driver who didn’t keep track of everything on the road can be to other people, I know what the effects of distracted driving can be and will do everything in my power to avoid them by taking steps to help my friends and myself be safer on the road. If I am in the passenger seat, and the driver is trying to do something, like change the radio, or check the navigation, I always help them and tell them to focus on driving, and encourage others to do the same while they’re in the passenger seat. If I notice that someone is going too fast on a road, I will remind them of the speed limit, and likewise, if I don’t know the speed limit, I will ask someone in the car. As a passenger, the biggest things that can be done to help others be safe drivers are eliminating distractions, and pointing out anything unusual in the road that the driver may not have noticed. As a driver, it is important to stay informed, vigilant, and take responsibility for the safety of passengers in the car. It is only with these steps that the world can be a better and safer place for all those on the road.