Driver Education Programs Save Lives

Obtaining your driver’s license is a big milestone for many teenagers and young adults. It provides a sense of freedom that many yearn for but driving safely is a huge responsibility. You spend many years relying on others for rides so it is so exciting to be able to transport yourself from place to place. Before getting your license and getting behind the wheel, the new driver needs appropriate training to be able to operate a car or truck safely. A formal driver education program is a good way to learn the skills needed to operate a vehicle. Driver education is an important tool that can be used to improve the safe operation of a motor vehicle and decrease the number of driving-related deaths.

Good driving takes a combination of education from an experienced teacher and practice. Friends or family members may not be the best teacher for a new driver because they may not know all the rules or be afraid to correct the new driver. You need someone who can remain calm because teaching a new driver can be very stressful. Driver education programs employ instructors who have a vast knowledge of vehicle operations and traffic rules. These instructors are the ideal teacher for the new driver because they have experience and can remain calm in stressful situations. They use the most effective teaching methods which is to share the rules of the road in the classroom setting first and then proceed to behind-the-wheel training. The curriculum, taught over many days or weeks, gives the new driver a chance to digest all the topics. The new driver is able to validate their knowledge by taking a test at the end to show everything they learned.

Driver education teachers are experts on the rules of the road and possess tools to help the new driver understand the dangers of breaking the rules. One powerful tool was videos which showed you the dangers of not following traffic rules. These were often firsthand accounts from the victims of traffic accidents. I recall watching a video portraying a horrific crash involving a teenager who was texting while driving. This important tool has influenced my driving over the last three years. It was such a vivid reminder of the dangers of texting while driving and was more impactful than just hearing the words from a parent or other adult. My driving instructor was also able to teach me valuable tips during my many driving sessions. It allowed me time to use the lessons learned in the classroom to develop good driving habits for life.

I am fortunate to have had an opportunity to participate in a great driver education program and have a clean driving record but I have experienced serious and fatal traffic accidents in my community. They are devastating to the driver and their family but profoundly affect the entire community. Many of those accidents were a result of distracted driving and excessive speed. Recently a woman was killed while crossing a street. The driver was using her phone on a residential street and did not see the woman in the crosswalk. A woman lost her life, a family lost their mother and the driver will have to live with the consequences of causing a fatal traffic accident forever. It is devastating for everyone involved. I am more committed to following the learnings from my driver education training after learning the causes of accidents in my community.

As an added benefit, being a good driver can save you money. I believe that saving lives is the most important benefit of a good driver education but saving money is very good too. Good drivers have lower insurance and repair costs. Reducing your driving speed can help reduce wear and tear on tires and brakes. Fewer accidents mean less damage to your car and fewer repair costs. Accident-related injuries can lead to lost wages or medical bills which represents even more costs. Drivers can be left with lifelong injuries or disabilities after car accidents.

Driver education programs can increase a driver’s knowledge and decrease accidents. The programs use valuable tools to teach new drivers. I appreciate all the good lessons learned during my own driver education training and know that I am a better driver because of the training. Driver education is a critical step to gaining your license to drive a car and should be taken very seriously. I highly recommend that every driver participates in a driver education program to learn the proper rules of the road and gain practice prior to receiving a license.