DriversEd Essay

DriversEd Essay

Drivers education plays an important role in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving. This is a really important class that all students should be required to take. If it is required to take drivers education, drivers can learn the proper way to drive along with learning the safety rules of the road to prevent accidents. Drivers would also learn the many important laws that are required for driving on the roads. Those who do take drivers education, hopefully will take in what they learn and apply the rules they learn to become a safe driver not only for themselves or their passengers but for everybody who is on the roads.

It’s truly a sad thing that most high schools have shifted away from providing drivers education in their curriculum because of budget cuts. These students are mostly required to take drivers education through a private company adding more costs onto parents. This is a cost that a lot of parents cannot afford. Due to this, students are relying on learning how to drive from their friends, which is not necessarily a good idea in my opinion.

I strongly feel that driver education instructors need to take their role as a instructor seriously. There were 33, 654 fatal motor vehicle accidents alone in the United States in 2018. When I took drivers education in my freshman year of high school, I personally think that the teacher did not teach the class well. We did not do much in class besides watching videos the majority of the time on driving. I wish he would have taught more. I have been really lucky that I have my parents who have been helping me learn to drive. They have also been teaching more things as I gain driving experience.

There are several steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. The first step is related to people being on their phone while driving and sadly this is very common. Too many accidents happens just because people are on their phones either texting, video chatting, or they are on a phone while they are driving even when it is against the law. So many drivers don’t seem to care about these laws and they are still on their phones while driving. Thankfully cars these days are being built with a Bluetooth capability so people can talk on the phone while they are driving and they do not have to take their hands off the stirring wheel! People should not be doing anything on their phones while they are driving and should never even have their cell phone in their hands period. Another step that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving would be to follow the speed limits at all times. For some reason, I have seen several people always going ten or more mile per hour over the speed limit. As a result, those people are causing accidents when they choose to go over the speed limits. The third step that should be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving is avoid drinking and driving or driving under the influence of drugs or narcotics causing DUI accidents. This is really dangerous and it is one of the most common number of deaths that is related to driving just like being on your phones. Another step that would help reduce the number of deaths that are related to driving would be to wear a seatbelt in every vehicle that you are in at all times. Several people these days do not believe in wearing a seatbelt because when they were younger it was not a big deal and it was not talked about much. The importance of wearing seatbelts just was not a thing so they grow up and continue with that thinking. Then when they are involved in an accident, they appear to be more injured than they should be because they chose not to wear a seatbelt. This is a really important thing that is needed to be taught in drivers education classes especially with teenagers.

The only two car accidents I have personally been in was when I was a toddler when my dad was driven home late one night and it was on a very dark road. He hit a pack of coyotes. My dad has been driving since he was 10, so he knew exactly how to maneuver to prevent a more serious situation. The second accident was another driver who literally pushed my dad off the road due to road rage. This driver was going in and out of traffic. He was attempting to get into my dad’s lane and there was not room for him to get over so the other driver pushed his way into the lane anyways and pushed us off the road.

I have had a few friends who have driven very irresponsible. They would try doing burnouts along with driving at high speeds in our country roads because there is little police presence. I think one of the bigger problems amongst my friends is they enjoy racing each other. The rules to some I know were not taken seriously. For example, I had a friend who continued to drive over the speed limit, got her license suspended at only 16, and continued to drive with a suspended license. She got into 2 accidents within a few weeks all because she was driving over the speed limit and she was not paying attention.

There are a few steps that I can take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road. The first step would be to never be on my phone at any time or have my phone in reaching distance while I am driving to avoid the temptation to check messages at stop lights or in my city the railroad crossings! I have been taught how not to be on the phone while driving. Another step that I can take to be a better and safer driver would be to follow every rule or laws that are in place for being on the roads to prevent myself from being involved in an accident. A third step would be to always wear my seatbelt at all times while driving. The next step would be for me to be a better and safer driver is to never get behind the wheel of a vehicle if I have been drinking and the final step is to always learn from the mistakes I may make!