Driver’s Education and Us: A Two Way Street

On one of the first days of my high school drivers’ education program, our teacher told us of the first time he had experienced having somebody die behind the wheel. From there, he promised that he would encourage other young and impressionable drivers to set their paths forward and become a responsible force on the road. Throughout our time with him, our class learned of the dangers of driving, and how to manage the risks that the road presented us with. We learned of the dangers and mortality statistics that had haunted so many families throughout the world, and he instilled the values of being a responsible driver in us. While I have never had anybody personal in my life die from a car-related fatality, I took what our teacher said to heart, and gave one hundred percent of my effort into the class. I came to understand that even if I am watching out for myself on the road, I need to ensure that my actions will not have any negative consequences on others, and I only hope that my peers and I will learn from our experiences in and outside of the classroom and apply them to be responsible drivers, and not just another statistic or a mourning family.

The importance of education for turning out experienced and mindful drivers cannot be understated on any level. Education helps drivers be prepared for any situation that they may encounter and how to respond to unusual situations or situations that they may have no control over, and how to minimize the damages that they may cause. While drivers’ education is most commonly taught in young people, even the most experienced drivers should always be learning how to respond to difficult situations and learn to comply with new regulations that are put in place to keep us safe. While driving may appear easy from an outside perspective, an educated driver understands that many factors, such as other cars on the road, weather conditions, and the physical road health affect a driver’s ability to proceed with caution. The mark of an educated and experienced driver is one that is aware of all of their surroundings and is able to instruct others what to do.

With the rise of driving-related fatalities in the United States nearing 30,000- 40,000, educated drivers should be concerned and be taking a proactive stance on reducing these numbers through a variety of ways. As stated before, one of the most important ways to turn out experienced drivers, and in turn reduce driving fatalities, is with education. Classroom driver’s education is an important first step for any young or aspiring driver, and the current laws in most states mandate a state-wide program. In several states, however, there are no state mandated education programs, leaving the job up to individual municipalities. These states are being extremely irresponsible, as the access to driver’s education material should be provided to all, not just those with the ability to have private driver’s education. Having a mandated program ensures that no young person slips through the cracks of being an inexperienced driver, and makes our society more responsible. Even if an individual does not plan on having a car or driving in their lifetime, they should learn how to respond to situations in which cars are involved, as they will inevitably be a pedestrian and will need to understand the laws of the road.

While classroom education is a vital step for turning out better drivers, other steps should be taken to get inter that drivers are experienced and prepared for any situation. One such program that could be implemented is a universal road-experience program. This initiative would have students face real-world road conditions that they can respond to, supplemented by simulation-based experiences of uncommon conditions that are still crucial to know how to respond to. Another method of reducing driving deaths that is not currently implemented in most places is regulating the use of distractions in the car. Many driving related fatalities can result from distracted driving, and by limiting the usage of cell phones and other devices, numbers of driving deaths may decrease to the levels that are found in states that currently have a ban. In the states that currently have a ban on using a handheld phone while driving, the number of fatalities is significantly down compared to those that do not impose regulations. Laws such as these should be tried in areas that suffer from the highest driving related fatalities, and if they prove to be helpful, they could become a universal standard throughout the country.

To ensure that safe driving becomes a standard in our country, education needs to rise to the forefront of the movement. To supplement these programs, other initiatives may be introduced that cover all areas and prepare drivers for any situation they may encounter. Laws and regulations on distracted driving may be implemented to aid this crisis further, and introduce punishments for those that do not take into account how their distracted driving may hurt others. On a personal stance, I can ensure safe driving in my community by advocating for a quality driver’s education program and encourage my community to take driving and distracted driving seriously. For the rest of my life, I will continue to learn about the risks of the road and wish for a safer tomorrow.