Be Informed and Be Responsible in the Driver’s Seat

Since the Model T’s creation in 1908, cars, buses, trucks, and more have taken our world by storm. This world-changing invention connected people like never before, but, unfortunately, its impact has not been all positive. Along with driving comes wrecks, and along with wrecks comes fatalities. However, this can be reconciled. With knowledge, commitment, and education, this heartbreaking factor of something we all participate in can be diminished and maybe even eradicated.

Education and training can cause things to come as second nature to a person.  Driver education can help a person practice good driving skills consistently by reinforcing what good driving habits are and what adverse outcomes can occur when good habits are not made. A person is more likely to wear a seatbelt, avoid following too closely, never drink and drive, not text and drive, and not engage in road rage if they learn about these things in a formal setting such as a driver’s education class. 

It is helpful if driver education comes from someone in a school or professional setting. Teenagers are notorious for not listening to their parents. A parent simply telling a young driver about driver safety might not always work. However, a student may see someone such as a police officer, safety expert, or a teacher to be more of an expert, and therefore may pay closer attention to what they are saying.   

Stopping unwise decisions like those outlined above will undoubtedly decrease the number of highway fatalities. Taking one’s eyes off the road for even a couple of seconds to check a text or driving after a late-night party and a couple of drinks can cause a catastrophic accident that can occur in a matter of seconds. If a person can learn not to put themselves in these situations, to begin with, many accidents will be avoided. Repetitive education and reminders through a driver’s education class will cause a person to always fall back on their training every time they get behind the wheel.  

I believe something that could even advance the influence of driver education is educational advertisements. It does not seem there is much ongoing education beyond what is taught in a driver’s education class or while studying for a driver’s test, and after years and years of driving it could be very beneficial for people to receive follow-up reminders on the ways of the road. This could be done through ad campaigns, radio announcements, handouts at the Court Clerk’s office, mail, or social media ads all reminding people to make wise choices. 

Thankfully, I have never been in a serious accident, but I have seen friends drive recklessly, and heard stories about my friends driving recklessly. One experience I have happened on the interstate. I was with a group of friends and we were traveling to see one’s new house. I got in the car with someone I had not ridden with before and never will again. This person drove over ninety miles per hour across town. This terrified me. Recently, this person wrecked their car for the same reason: speeding. So, I hope they have adopted safer driving habits. However, their example showed how scary driving unsafely actually is.

For the purpose of making my driving skills better, I need to work on scanning better for oncoming traffic before pulling out. I do look both ways. However, in my town, a lot of places are partially blocked by plants or placed in a position with curves that hide oncoming cars, so it is necessary when driving in these areas to balance pulling out at a decent speed and making sure you thoroughly look both ways. Other than improving this skill, I am a safe driver. My friends and family laugh at me because I even use my turn signal when I turn onto my road which is a small one-lane road with very little traffic. I do this even if no other vehicles are around just to stay in the habit of using my turn signal.

The best way I can make other people safer drivers is by reminding them to make wise decisions. If I see someone driving in an unsafe manner whether it is my dad or my best friend, it is perfectly okay for me to tell them so, in a nice and respectful way. This will further reinforce the importance of safe driving to those around me keeping them safer, me safer, and the people around us safer.      

Driving is a life-or-death situation, and it needs to be treated that way. Driver education is the best way to achieve universal devotion to being a safe driver and making safe decisions. Education is a foundation for almost everything in people’s lives. From the moment a person is born, they are always learning: to breathe air, to speak words, to solve calculus problems. So, why should our education in driving be any different? Driver education enlightens new drivers and old alike on the implications that occur when they are negligent. If people are not made aware of how severe the consequences of their actions are, they are not going to be proactive in following the rules and regulations put in place to keep others safe. Simple mistakes have so much influence on safety. These “simple mistakes” or actions of a passive driver, such as not using a turn signal or using your rear-view mirror, are not just simple. They can be fatal. This is why driver education is essential. It causes people to realize that their little mistakes can be just as big as their big mistakes, reinforcing the fact that attentiveness on the road is necessary for lives to be saved.