Stop Accidents, Before They Stop You

The answer to the importance of driver education to reduce deaths may seem redundant to teens learning how to drive when they are of age. I get it, honestly. I am a Junior class president taking 4 AP classes, filling my resume up to prepare for college, surviving my teens, and a dog mom of 2. The last thing I want to do is cram time out of my busy schedule to read a 244-page NJ Driver Manual. But I know that studying the manual instead of asking my older siblings for the answers to the permit test will make me a more comfortable driver. After all, I am the one behind the wheel if, God forbid, things go south. There is no easy way out when you find yourself in an accident and facing insurance bills. Therefore, learning the laws consisting of speed limits and general road rules will help a person avoid misdemeanors and potential accidents.

The purpose of a driver’s license is to prove that one has adequate knowledge of being a responsible driver, hence, if people lackadaisically go through permit tests and driver test processes for the perks of legally driving, contradicts the definition of being a safe driver. Driver education is the most effective way to decrease the number of deaths due to driving. Typically, teenagers begin to learn the ways of the road during high school. It’s easy to “go through the motions” instead of internalizing the rules of the driver’s manual especially because most of the permit test is common sense.

According to the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, young drivers who have not completed driver’s education are 75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident, and 16 percent more likely to have an accident, the study showed. (2015) Imagine if one driver is recklessly weaving through traffic, an educated driver will know to drive at a consistent speed to avoid traffic jams and accidents. Simply, the more uneducated drivers present, the more difficult it will be to respond to irresponsibility on the road. This irresponsibility is what most likely causes traffic in the first place. Through driver education, young people aspiring to drive can cultivate good driving habits and know how to navigate through potential accidents.

My mother has always told my siblings and me not to get in the car with a group of friends. I believe my mother wasn’t intending to limit my social life in any way. She warns me to ensure that the intended driver isn’t consuming alcohol before driving. Recently, I discovered the deeper meaning of her concerns when my brother’s football friend, Nashawn Brooks was unfortunately killed in a “triple fatal crash.” Seeing the devastation in my community from the loss of a young soul reminded me of the importance of driving safely. It’s not to say that Nashawn wasn’t a safe driver, however, to reduce devastation in the community it is all citizens’ responsibility to have some form of driver’s education. You can’t force someone to attend a driver’s ed courses, however, seeing fatal car crashes in person or on the news should encourage people to be responsible. Even when the police aren’t watching, it is essential to be a safe driver also because irresponsible pedestrians that drivers are expected to yield to.

Most people don’t know the difference between yielding and stopping. The importance of having driver education that is accessible to schools allows students to feel prepared for actually driving. At my school, drivers ed is an optional elective with an age restriction instead of a graduation requirement. The lack of accessible driver education classes discourages students from learning about driver judgment, what to do in common sense situations and how to navigate in different weather circumstances. Drivers’ ed courses encourage people to practice before officially being on the road. Another example is knowing the differences in traffic control signs. Road signs inform drivers about speed limits, upcoming hazards, or driving directions.

Ultimately, I can be a safe driver by taking driving lessons this summer after reading the driving manual. Once I get my permit, I aspire to create a schedule for practicing driving with one of my parents. My school peer gave me the manual that I have currently, so I will be sure to pass it along to a younger peer who is learning how to drive to promote safe driving. Stress free driving starts with being educated and responsible which keeps the road safe.