Drivers Education: Early Implementation to Prevent Future Accidents

Most people unknowingly live with an immortality complex – the belief that nothing bad will happen to them because nothing has happened to them “yet”. When it comes to irresponsible driving, this is often the case. How many times have you heard someone defend texting while driving with, “It’s fine,” or “It’s only for a second, nothing is going to happen,”? However, for those of us who have experienced the effects of irresponsible driving, or otherwise, we know the immortality complex is an easily shattered façade that should be removed through more comprehensive driver’s education.

When I was fifteen, I was hit by a reckless driver. I was standing and the vehicle was suddenly floored from a complete stop and hit me. The vehicle’s tire ran up my leg, crushing everything in my leg, broke my tibia and fibula, broke my nose, and gave me a concussion. I ended up with incurable nerve damage that causes 24/7 pain and memory loss of bits of my childhood. Before this event, I also had the fleeting thought of “it’ll never happen to me” and that’s true, until it does. Then you’re left with the consequences. I was on the receiving end, but if more schools had guest speakers from both sides of the line—victims and the perpetrators—then I feel as though more students will be able to form a connection of reality. A true sense of “oh, this can happen” and “it could be me” that they otherwise not experience in their normal lives. Even now people tell me I’m unlucky, but in truth I know many people who have been hurt or killed from reckless drivers—you just don’t notice as much until it is a prominent part of your existence. Raising awareness through guest interactions in schools would help foster that reality that this is a consequence that can impact anyone at any time and being aware of your surroundings as both a driver and a pedestrian can save your life or another’s.

It is imperative that driver’s education is taught – it should be mandatory in school or before acquiring a license to reduce the number of car-related injuries and accidents. Then, every license renewal you should have to retake your driver’s test to show you can drive properly. There are many aspects of driving that should be known to reduce car-related death and injuries. Knowing how to handle a car in severe weather and when experiencing mechanical problems would be beneficial to everyone, given most basic training does not cover this in-depth and when practicing for exams these events may not be encountered. Students should learn how to handle a car in the rain, when to use hazards, how to drive on sand and get your vehicle out of sand/mud, how to change a tire, what to do if your breaks or steering wheel lock while driving, what to do if your car starts smoking and what the color of the smoke can indicate, and much more. There are so many aspects of safe vehicle ownership and driving that is not taught and should be given the majority of the populace will drive at some point in their life.

Along with mandatory driver’s education classes, there should also be a required course in first aid in tandem with the driver’s education in the event an accident occurs. This could aid in minor accidents or help buy time for someone waiting for an ambulance to arrive in a severe accident. It is a simple addition to the class that could help save lives or reduce the severity of repercussions. The class should also cover various ways to stay attentive when driving: no texting, utilize Bluetooth for hands-free calls, keep music low enough to be able to listen for sirens or danger, do not wear headphones while driving nor inappropriate footwear, pay attention to your surroundings, pull over if you’re too tired to drive, and more. The class should also cover how to be a safe pedestrian—such as no drinking and driving, looking both ways before crossing the street even when you have the right of way, keeping one headphone off when by the street, and such—and ways to exit your vehicle safely if you become stuck in an accident.

Overall, the best way to reduce the number of vehicular deaths and accidents is to make drivers education mandatory in schools and before getting your driver’s license, and to retest drivers before every license renewal. The more someone knows about a situation and topic, the better they can put the information into practice down the line. The information taught could help save themselves, passengers, other drivers, or even pedestrians in the future. Implementing guest experiences with both victims and perpetrators of reckless driving can also help foster the thought that anyone can be impacted, so everyone should be aware of their actions. Education paired with real world experiences would leave a lasting impression on adolescents just learning to drive and help form healthy habits they could carry into adulthood.