Better to Drive Safe than Sorry

Driver education might seem unimportant to most. This is evident by the fact that driver education is not a mandatory high school subject in most places. As a military family, we moved often and I lived in five states. Only in two of them driver education was a requisite for graduation. Driving is an important subject everyone should master, even non drivers. To think you will be operating a piece of equipment that if operated recklessly could cause one’s death or the death of others. When viewed from that perspective, then it is crystal clear, at least in my mind, that driver education should not be taken lightly. The effects and cost of not having driver education increase potentially when you take into account other factors as well. An uneducated-reckless driver will likely cause a chain of events involving the police, the fire department, ambulances, hospitals, insurance, damage to public property, road delays and multiple other direct and indirect effects resulting in thousands of dollars spent. Thoughtful, comprehensive driver’s education would definitively reduce the amount of accidents involving the death of a person, but also the other direct and indirect cost associated with a car accident.

Driver education is paramount in reducing car accidents and all the negative effects associated. There are multiple aspects, some less important, some more important, like how to add water to the windshield washer, how to properly inspect the tires are properly inflated and not worn out, to how to do a left/right turn properly or how to adjust your driving when it rains or at night. Any or all of these things might contribute to an accident resulting in the death of another person and learning about them will likely reduce the amount of accidents and might even reduce the amount of major accidents resulting in the death of one of another person. Another important aspect is defensive driving. You might be the best driver but the other driver might not be, therefore it is important to pay attention and concentrate on driving. There are so many distractions that can potentially result in serious accidents and you can’t control other drivers but you can be educated on how to drive defensively. A good defensive driver pays constant attention to their surroundings and what the other driver might do, instead of trusting the other driver will do what they should, like stopping at a stop sign.

Incorporating a mandatory classroom course as a requisite for High School graduation will ensure almost every Floridian has baseline education on driving safely. A school course could focus also on educating the potentially deadly effects of texting, reading emails, looking at the phone, talking on the phone, while driving. The cost of implementing it might seem (or be) high, but it will not only reduce the amount of accidents and potentially car accident deaths, but it will ultimately pay itself by reducing the costs the government incurs when there is an accident. Just saving one life will be enough, but the monetary savings will be substantial. The other aspect to reduce car accident deaths would be to ensure the mandatory training and test to obtain a driver’s license is current and adequate, that the driving schools meet the standards and ensuring new and existing drivers are mentally and physically capable of driving safely. A media campaign depicting not the rules, but the potential negative effect of reckless driving might also reduce accidents and accidents resulting in deaths. The newer generations are not as involved as previous in watching television or reading a newspaper. The good thing is that reaching them is fairly inexpensive as forums such as tik-tok, instagram, discord and others are free. The younger generation should learn about the potentially deadly effects of driving under the influence of any substance that could affect decision making, reaction time or affect vision. I have never been in a car accident but I have seen people driving irresponsibly on the road. I’ve seen people drive against traffic just to get in front of cars in a one lane road, I’ve seen people turn when they are not supposed to and nearly get into an accident. I strive to be a better and safer driver by making sure I’m both mentally and physically able to drive and by always being aware of my surroundings and following all road laws. I also ensure my vehicle is in good condition to drive, tires are inflated according to the manufacturer specifications and the thread is adequate, windshield washer is full, wipers are serviceable, windshields are clean, and all lights work properly. These things ensure I’m doing my best as a driver to protect others and myself. I can help others by offering a ride if I see they are not in condition to drive or offer them another mode of transportation like a taxi or an Uber. I can also point out how to become safer drivers and how to maintain their vehicles in optimal condition for a safe drive.

Driver education is paramount in reducing car accidents and reducing car accidents resulting in the death of a person. The education can be achieved by adding it as a High School requirement, during driving School, through non-traditional media outlets and confirmed with a comprehensive driving test.