How Confidence and Caution Can Work Together

The ability to drive a car is often referred to as “every teenager’s dream” and even considered a “rite of passage”. However, once I turned sixteen I had no desire to be in the driver’s seat of a nearly 3,000-pound vehicle. Unlike most teenagers portrayed in pop culture, I did not see car keys as the keys to freedom, I viewed them as the keys to possible harm. I was terrified of being in control of something that could cause harm to others or myself by simply pressing the brake pedal too slowly or not knowing the speed limit. Regardless of my fear, my mom still pushed me to learn how to safely drive a vehicle and get my driver’s license. Luckily, to get your license in Oklahoma, you must first take a driver’s education class. This course teaches everything regarding driving a vehicle, from state laws to road signs. It also allows everyone to be taught how to properly drive by tested and licensed professionals.

To reduce the number of deaths that occur while driving, it is first vital to realize how big of a responsibility driving a vehicle is. The repercussions of not realizing this could be fatal due to reckless and dangerous driving. After understanding the importance of driving safely the next step is to take a driver’s education course. This course enables everyone to feel not only prepared for any situation that could occur while driving, but also confident in their driving abilities. It was during this course that I learned a nervous driver is nearly as dangerous as someone driving under the influence. According to the National Library of Medicine, drivers can be too cautious while driving causing confusion and misunderstanding for others sharing the road. This conclusion was further explained in depth during the driver’s education course, so everyone could recognize the importance of caution and confidence. This is what I gained the most from my driver’s education class: confidence. I felt confident in my ability to drive after learning the proper way to handle distractions, recognize different roadway signs, and assess different situations that can occur while driving. This confidence that new drivers earn after completing the course is vital in reducing the number of deaths that happen on the road. On the flip side, it is crucial to not become overly confident because it can also lead to fatal accidents.

After completing driver’s ed it is common to be extra vigilant while driving, however, this usually does not last as new drivers become comfortable on the road. This relaxed behavior paves the way for future accidents that can be fatal. According to the CDC,(the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) teenagers and young adults have the lowest average seatbelt usage while driving. Seatbelts have been proven to reduce serious injury and even death by nearly half, yet they are worn less and less by new drivers. By simply placing a strap across the shoulder, chest, and lap the fatalities that occur in car accidents could be reduced. The CDC also reports that new drivers such as teenagers and young adults are more likely to speed than older drivers. In 2019, 31% of teen male drivers and 17% of teen female drivers were involved in fatal accidents as a result of speeding. Understanding that small actions, such as not putting on a seatbelt or going over the speed limit, have drastic consequences is the largest step towards reducing deaths related to driving.

My example of small accidents leading to big consequences is an accident that I was involved in eight years ago in December when I was ten years old. While driving through an intersection on the way home, a car drove through their red light and crashed into the side of our vehicle. When the accident occurred the roads had begun icing over, contributing to the severity of the crash. After making sure everyone was okay, we found out that the crash could have been entirely avoided if the driver had not panicked. Because of the ice, the car was stuck since there was no traction being created between the tires and the road. The driver began to panic that she would be unable to drive through the intersection once the light turned green, so she began hitting the gas pedal. This caused the wheels to only spin, but the front tires began wearing away the ice until they finally contacted the road. Once the wheels came into contact with the road the car had enough traction and speed to shoot through the intersection causing the accident. If the driver had not been so panicked, she would have considered what could happen if her car began to move while her light was still red. Luckily, no one was seriously injured in this crash, but it took a long time before my younger sister wanted to be in a car again. This accident proved to me the importance of not panicking while driving even at a young age.

For the road to become a safer place it is imperative to first correct your own driving habits before expecting others to be better drivers. The biggest factor that is essential to becoming a safer driver is to consistently be aware while driving. Being aware while driving includes consciously paying attention to your speed, all roadway signs, and potentially dangerous driving from others. Since the leading causes of accidents are due to speeding, distracted driving, and impaired driving, being aware of your surroundings can drastically improve your driving abilities and the safety of others. By also following these protocols, you are leading by example for other drivers which is the best way to help others. After witnessing how simple it is to become a better, safer driver, others will be more inclined to also be more aware while driving effectively causing a safer driving experience.

The ability to drive is a basic stepping-stone of life, but that does not mean it is easy. Some people, like myself, are very nervous to start driving resulting in cautious unsafe drivers. Others can feel too confident in their abilities resulting in deadly reckless driving. Both types of drivers can benefit from taking a driver’s education course to better understand the dangers they are creating on the road. This course helps any driver understand they need to keep a balance between having confidence in their driving abilities without taking it too far. Driver’s ed also teaches how to reduce the number of fatalities and accidents while driving by understanding road signs and potentially dangerous situations. The biggest way to reduce the number of accidents is to focus on completing small actions and being aware of your surroundings. If you follow these steps you will be effectively creating safer roadways and drivers because you will then be leading by example. The importance of driver’s ed can not be exaggerated when it is very clear how much it is needed across the country.