What steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road?

What steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road?

It is not an exaggeration to say that driving these days is everything. It can be defined as freedom, independence, great responsibility, a vital necessity, or simply a joy. When I say “driving,” I mean “safe driving,” which is the only driving that should exist. After watching my father, who has decades of great driving experience, I am convinced that the best way to become a good driver and prevent road accidents is to go through proper education first and then practice, practice, practice. In addition to these two components, every individual should be aware and accept all the responsibility and risks that driving implies.

A few years ago, when I just came to the USA, I didn’t think that driving would ever be necessary for me. I was in love with public transportation in Chicago. Additionally, I am Russian and for some reason, women do not drive as much as men there, so that must have been my little cultural stereotype.

My dream of getting a higher education in the United States led me to one of the great coordinated programs at the University of Illinois at Chicago, which included not only theoretical training but also some remote internships. These circumstances made me realize a real need for a driver’s license during my summer 2020 school break. By that time, our up-coming winter internships were already scheduled in person at hospitals and other locations. There I was in June 2020 — no time to question the need, only time to act.

By this time we all understand that the summer of 2020 was unusual to say the least. My family, friends, and I, as well as the whole world, were in shock from the unpredictability of the ongoing Pandemic. But my goal was to learn to drive properly and do it well. Since I live in Chicago, a well-known city with a huge number of cars, large traffic jams, and a high risk of car accidents on the roads, I realized that driving school would be my best choice.

Of course, I had options to learn informally. I could casually meet with friends who already knew how to drive or even watch videos on YouTube. But the fact that the lives of other people depend on my driving skills did not allow me to look at the situation playfully.

Realizing my risks of getting sick, I nevertheless decided to enroll in a local driving school with professional instructors and enough hours of practice. And that was one of the most strategically correct decisions for me, considering that I am an adult with no driving experience and a non-native English speaker.

The driving training was far from being normal or comfortable. During all my lessons instructors and I were wearing masks in the middle of the hot summer days. Of course, it was awkward and sometimes we could not understand each other well, but precautions were most important. Every time I came to the school, I was well aware of exposing myself and my family to the potential risk of getting the virus for which there was no vaccine yet. A positive mindset and a clear goal to become a good, confident driver on the roads of Chicago were a great help.

My instructors were changing multiple times due to their frequent Covid 19 testings, but they were all great professionals. I learned a lot from each of them and did not regret once going through that proper training. I eventually realized that quality training is a major investment in confidence and safety on the roads which also gives you peace of mind. Additionally, having proper training helped me to pass my driving test easily without any problems and become a diligent driver.

The main insight from getting my drivers license during the Pandemic is that conditions around us are ever-changing and these changes are constant. Ultimately, the way we adapt to unpredictability determines our success. This is relevant for driving as well as living life. At the same time high-quality education and compliance with traffic rules will always remain a valuable investment in future, and that is not going to change anytime soon. So, I want to emphasize once again that for increasing safety on our roads, we must be more responsible with our choices. Even in the most unpredictable conditions we always have the opportunity to choose quality education which will allow us to become the best drivers we can be.