Drivers Ed: How It Saved My Life

On June 10, 2022, at around 9 pm, my 4 friends and I were driving back from hanging out that evening. It was raining and a bit cold for June, so it wasn’t the clearest night as I was driving. As I was pulling up to an intersection, the car slightly in front of me, on the left, suddenly merged into my lane and hit my car. It was silent in my car as everyone was shocked about the sudden merge without a signal light. This was my very first issue ever on the road and I honestly wasn’t sure what to do. Luckily, I had taken Drivers Education classes the year before so I knew I should pull over, call my parents, and talk to the other driver about a police report. I was able to stay calm even on this rainy, cold night. I have been very grateful for my driver’s education classes on handling an accident, especially how to defensively drive. I have learned to be a defensive driver on the roads which has kept me safe in many different situations. That night I was driving according to what my classes taught regarding the rain and slowed down far from the line. If I hadn’t done this, the accident could have resulted in fatal injuries for my friends and me.

When reading the instructions for this essay, I was shocked to read how many people died each year while driving. I have been driving for about 2 years, but I hadn’t realized how dangerous driving was for our country. Thousands of families and communities have been affected by driving accidents and I understand this after my accident as well. I consider myself lucky to live in Washington, where I must take classes at my local driving school before taking my written and driving exams. However, only 32 states require teenagers to take driving education courses. I believe every state should require some sort of driving education course to keep new drivers educated on the road. During my time at the school, I learned so many essential driving techniques and tips to stay safe on the roads! I watched different videos on the importance of safety on the road, filled out packets of practice questions, and practiced driving safety with my class instructors. This is one of the reasons I had not received any tickets, been in any accidents, or had any other car-related issues. In addition, my school required a certain number of hours before I could practice the drives with the school. This allowed me to practice with my parents before I had more serious drives. In addition, driving classes provide recommendations and advice on unspoken driving rules that keep people safe. To prevent many driving-related deaths, I believe every new driver should receive some sort of instruction, class, or course on the importance of preventing accidents. The lessons I learned in my driving education classes helped me while driving and during my accident so I know it can help others too.

On the other hand, having every state require driving courses means a large group of low-income teenagers would not have the chance to attend them. This is due to the cost and availability of the driving courses. Thus, I have argued and fought for the adoption of a high school-level driving education class that can be part of the requirements to graduate. I have brought this up to my local city council to allow more students the opportunity to take steps toward being better and safer drivers. My argument is that the class will naturally be paid for by the school and allow everyone an equal opportunity to learn the basics of driving instruction. There are many electives such as ceramics, indoor design, etc, however, I believe no other elective would benefit students and our streets as much as a Driving Instruction class. As high school students are required or recommended to take the class, they will learn the basics for free and have the chance to gain experience before they hit the roads. This also allows students more time to prepare for their state tests and be safer on the roads.

In all, statistics show that driving can be very dangerous and a serious issue in our country. To prevent more people from being injured and dying while driving, I strongly believe that each state should require some type of driving education. Whether this is classes, courses, or other instructions, experience before they drive or hit the road can help us prevent more deaths on the road. In addition, if more people could learn the basics of driving, it can help people be aware of the dangers of the road. I wish more people knew how dangerous driving was beforehand, but I believe we can prevent more deaths in our country through awareness.