Safety might seem boring, but boring gets you there safely.

I remember the long and extensive process that I first took to get my permit, and eventually gain my license. At the time, it seemed monotonous and boring to sit through hours of class, and gradually take steps towards going behind the wheel of the car. The sixty hours driving seemed unattainable at first, sitting stiff as a piece of plywood in the front seat while the unlucky parent designated to “coaching” me during driving seemed to be muttering a prayer while simultaneously holding onto the armrest for dear life. However, once I got out onto the open road with my full license, I began to realize that all these steps were vital, and I needed experience to guide me and avoid errors on the road.

Drivers education is hugely important in ensuring that safe drivers are introduced to the road. Places like the highway seemed comforting and relaxing– until I got behind the wheel of the car. Busy intersections are a new driver’s worst nightmare, and I strongly believe that the best teacher was practice. Learning about driving in Driver’s Education class strengthened my confidence, but the open road with an instructor and the sixty hours of practice strongly contributed to the safe and mindful driving experience I carry today. Although I mentioned it oftentimes being monotonous, this experience was vital to driving by myself now.

As a young driver, you pick up on a lot of things that have been taught to you as irresponsible or dangerous. One of the biggest things I continued to notice was the excessive and dangerous speeds students would drive out of the school parking lot when staff wasn’t around, usually following a sports match. Blasting music, these people would attempt to showcase what they thought were “skills” on the open road. However, this dangerous habit of driving could be the driving factor (no pun intended) of why teenagers make up 8.5% of all fatal crashes each year. It’s easy to believe that an individual is the “main character” and nothing bad can happen; however, many young drivers do not realize the danger present, even with lots of experience.

I have already taken steps to become a safe and responsible driver, namely by participating in the Driver Education program, a step I feel is largely important to creating aware drivers. Sure, it may not be comforting when a parent is screaming instructions as your heart pounds, going ten under the speed limit while a line of cars trail behind you. However, this time of instruction really helps me stay focused now, especially in scenarios where I wouldn’t know the proper technique to manage a vehicle. Furthermore, I make sure to drive the speed limit, keep my eyes on the road, and stay focused on driving. Staying focused is the most important thing a young driver can do, especially because so many other people on the road cannot be. As I’ve mentioned, the best thing I could have done for myself was to practice and get experience driving. Embarking on my journey with the class that often took hours to get done, and was online, and progressing to driving with an instructor, and finally getting sixty hours was nowhere near fun or enjoyable. But the experience and valuable lessons that came along with this was certainly worth the time I spent, every minute of it. I was definitely a nervous driver when I first started, and even following the week of driving with a designated teacher, I was still not fully prepared for the challenges that came along with driving. Experience definitely helped to teach me proper techniques for driving.

Driving focused, and with plenty of practice, is something that every driver needs to be equipped with. The statistics while looking at driving aren’t fun, but to be a part of that statistic is heartbreaking. Accidents while driving have become so common that it measures up to a statistic, rather than a story. The story is blotted out, the description of a person’s achievements and challenges, the actions they took to get to this point. We have a responsibility, especially myself as a new driver, to drive carefully and to abide by all of the rules and regulations of the road. Every statistic tells a story, and anyone at any time could become a part of this, and with all my education and experience of driving, it is my job to help prevent adding to this, and to raise awareness to drive safely.