Driver’s Education is very important to decrease the deaths in car accidents.

Between 1913 and 2020 the amount of deaths due to crashes has risen by 831%. Only 32 out of the 50 states require a driver’s education program. Is there a correlation between the rise in deaths and the number of states that require driver’s education? A study done by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln also asked this question. They found that over eight years the number of deaths relating to driving decreased when teenagers took driver’s education. They also found that teenagers that didn’t take driver’s education were around 25% more likely to get into a fatal accident and 75% more likely to receive a traffic ticket. Driver’s education is very important in reducing the number of deaths caused by cars.

To first understand why drivers’ education is important we should first look at the cause of why these deaths are happening. The four biggest reasons car accidents happen is due to overspeeding, distractions to drivers, running red lights, and drunk driving. Some of these car accidents are the majority of the deaths we see each year. Most of these causes could be easily fixed if drivers took drivers’ education seriously. In the course, the teacher teaches how to avoid these situations. Not everyone takes it seriously though, they just try to pass the class. Most people just take the course to get an insurance benefit. Students don’t see the benefit of learning different actions they can take to avoid situations that could end up in death.

Drunk driving is one of the most prevalent among younger drivers. The people they have designated as drivers usually drink also. This makes them think it’s okay for them to drive because they only drank a bottle or two. There isn’t a solution for this then what we’ve already been taught. As teenagers, we’ve been taught to not drink alcohol and then go drive. We’re being taught this principle but people don’t take it seriously because teenagers think they are invincible. This has been proven through psychology through the invincibility fable. The invincibility fable states that it is a self-centered thinking pattern. It is characterized by a belief in indestructibility. They believe that they won’t get caught when they are doing wrong things and that they won’t get hurt by participating in dangerous behaviors and situations. If we can teach teenagers more about this concept I believe that drunk driving might decrease.

Speeding and running red lights are also fairly prevalent with younger drivers. This can be due to the driver being late, not caring about the world around them, or just not paying attention to their surroundings. Some of this can be related to the invincibility fable talked about in the paragraph above. If we can teach and show new drivers what they are risking when they speed or run red lights I think that we could decrease the number of deaths due to speeding and running red lights.

As a new driver, I did not take driver’s education. Instead, I had my parents teach me to drive. While this might be more of an issue because I was not formally taught, it helped put the dangers of driving more into perspective. I have realized that this method of teaching was much more beneficial to me than being taught by a teacher. It made it more personal and put it more into perspective. Each time I put myself behind the wheel my parents remind me of the dangers of driving. A quote constantly stated in my house is that I could accidentally kill more people with a car than with a gun. Every time my parents tell me this it puts better into perspective how dangerous cars can be. I don’t think I could live with myself if I killed someone accidentally or not. This is the reason I try to be the safest driver I can be. The emotional damage that comes from killing someone is detrimental, and I don’t want to experience this. If everyone could understand this concept, I think that drivers would be more careful on the roads.

A crucial part of driver’s education is that the students pay attention to what they are learning. The students can sit in class all they want and drive as much as they want, but if they don’t care or pay attention, it doesn’t matter. It goes in one ear and out the other. If we can teach people in a more engaging way, where they will listen better, I think it will help the casualties due to dangerous driving decrease.

In conclusion, driver education is crucial to having safer drivers, if your parents teach you or through a formal class. It can help drivers learn the dangers of driving and that they shouldn’t be reckless. When you sit behind the wheel, you can do a lot of damage.