Safe Driving Essay

Driver’s education is important in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving because it teaches you to drive in a safer manner, the proper conditions to drive in, and how to properly maneuver a vehicle. It is especially important for young teens and new drivers, as it lowers their chances of being involved in an accident and can help to prevent vehicular deaths. Driver’s education courses teach you the proper speed limits, how to drive during inadequate road weather conditions, and express the importance of always wearing your seatbelt. It also teaches you the proper distance to maintain and when to use the breaks when following another driver, which helps to keep you from rear-ending the car in front of you. You also learn about using your turn signals so that others know where you are turning and you know when they are turning as well. Knowing which direction someone is going, when they are going to make the turn, and keeping the proper distance are important things you need to learn in order to keep yourself safe when out on the road. There are several steps that can be taken to reduce the number of driving related deaths. Always make sure to wear your seatbelt and make sure that any and all passengers in the vehicle do the same. Make sure that you never drive when impaired under the influence of any alcohol or drugs. If you do happen to drink when you are out, even just one, single drink, make sure you have a designated driver available. Always follow the speed limit and don’t race around, it’s better to be late than to not make it at all. Do not, under any circumstances, use your phone while driving, whether it be texting or calls. Make sure you are driving using proper caution and care when the weather is inclement. I have had a few bad experiences involving car accidents. When I was young, around 6 or 7 years old, I was riding in the car with my grandma to a city about an hour or so from the town that we live in. She had a little green Ford Ranger truck and we were following behind a pretty white car. We were coming up at a redlight and my grandma was quickly changing the radio station, but we ended up running into the back of the car in front of us. All it takes is one second of your eyes being off the road and an accident can happen. I also wrecked my very first car after I left the bar, was drinking, and had no designated driver. I thought I was a speed racer and was going way too fast and slammed right into someone’s garage. I could’ve seriously gotten hurt, or even worse, severely injured someone else due to my own lack of responsibility and poor judgment. My mom was in a horrible car accident when she was 16 years old, on her way home from a school dance. She had to have metal plates put in her face and was left permanently disfigured from the wreck. Always be careful when you are driving and make sure you are aware of your surroundings as well because other people can cause an accident just as easily as anyone else. My brother is an irresponsible driver, he drives way too fast, takes corners very hard, and has been in more accidents than I can count. He is someone that I try to avoid getting in a vehicle with at all costs. Any and every time that I am in a vehicle with him, I’m constantly praying and hoping I make it home in one piece. You can take many precautionary steps to make yourself a better and safer driver. Always think about your safety and, as I stated earlier, be aware of what is going on around you at all times. There is a 4 second rule when it comes to following behind other cars, you should have a car length gap in between you and the person in front of you, to allow time for sudden stops and any other mishaps that could occur. Make sure that your car’s brakes, rotors, and tires are always good and in proper conditions and make sure you have the proper tires for the different seasons. You should have a good set of summer/ spring tires that can handle dry or wet road conditions and a fall/ winter set that are good for snow and ice. No matter the situation, snow, rain, or even a warm sunny day, make sure you are always vigilant and ready for anything when you are on the road.