Why Drivers Ed?

Why do we need drivers ed? Especially when we can just have our parents teach us how to drive right? Wouldn’t that make things way easier for everybody? If our parents were to just teach us to drive and all we have to do is take a test determining whether or not we understand how to operate a motor vehicle as well as the rules of the road wouldn’t everything just be easier.

There are so many issues with this type of thinking. Many may not realize that it takes more than understanding how to operate a motor vehicle and how to follow the rules of the road to continuously and actively be a safe driver. Unfortunately not everybody is fully educated on the rules of the road, with some not even fully aware of everything that’s happening around them while on the road themselves. This is where Drivers Ed became extremely important. There is more to driving than understanding the laws and understanding how to control the vehicle, especially depending on the environment and conditions that you are driving in.

Becoming more aware of your surroundings is vital when it comes to driving. Being aware of children crossing the street in neighborhoods, people jaywalking on busy roads. A driver who is competent and able to understand what it is that they should be looking out for is much more likely to avoid fatalities and accidents while on the road. Understanding what you shouldn’t be doing behind the wheel is also something vital and something that your parents may not teach you due to them thinking it isn’t a big of a deal.

Increasing the amount of people that get Drivers Education is vital in avoiding fatalities in america. Making it easily accessible and making sure those who shouldn’t be driving never get behind the wheel are also vital. Personally I don’t think that accidents will ever reach zero on the roads, problems outside of our control can occur, but by reducing the problems within our control we can reduce that number down to as close to zero as possible.

I personally have been in a car accident that could have been completely avoided had I just been more competent about what I was doing. It had been a long night at work and I had gotten off 2 hours later than I was supposed to. I was tired and didn’t have much energy but I was on my friend’s ride so I still had to take him home. In my condition I shouldn’t have gotten behind the wheel, but that sense of responsibility pushed me to get in my car and start driving. It wasn’t even 10 or 15 minutes before I blacked out and ended up rear ending the truck in front of us. My car was the only vehicle to receive any damage, with nobody being injured, which was extremely fortunate. I think it’s important to drill into kids’ heads that safety should be prioritized before any other responsibilities they think they may have. Had I not gotten into the accident at that moment, it was more than likely I would get into an accident while I was on the freeway. At that point nobody knows what could have happened and if my friend and I would have even made it out of that car ride alive.

This is what I mean when I say that safety should be prioritized, because nothing is worth more than a human life. If there is a possibility that the condition you are in will put others in danger, you should not get behind the wheel. If you think that somebody else’s condition is to the point where they shouldn’t be driving, make sure you bring it up, and if they refuse to not drive, don’t get in their vehicle. You have a responsibility to yourself and to others to make sure nobody gets hurt in that vehicle.

When it comes to being a safe driver or helping others become safer drivers, I think we need to hold ourselves and others accountable for whatever mistakes and actions we may take. Personally I will try and correct others’ driving mistakes whenever I notice them, even if they aren’t major just so that I can make them aware of the mistakes that they may be making. I understand that nobody is a perfect driver which is why I’ll never force them to correct their mistakes, unless it is something major that is a reasonable cause for concern. As for myself, I need to be more strict when it comes to speeding and when it comes to pedestrians crossing the street. The last thing I ever want to do is accidentally end somebody’s life. I’ll double and triple check crosswalks whenever I am coming up to them, I will make sure that if somebody is crossing I give them plenty of room and time to go. I’ll be extra strict on myself when it comes to my speed as well, asking my passengers to call me out on whatever mistakes I may make. I am well aware that this will take time to improve upon, but my hope is that as I start trying to improve my driving, those around me will as well, creating a chain that continuously spreads throughout the community. The goal is a safe community, a community that is educated when it comes to driving and who know what not to do, what to look out for, and how to react when certain situations do occur that are outside of their control.