In the Driver’s Seat Scholarship Essay

Everyone considers the last day of school to be a joyous occasion. It was especially exciting to me since it was my last day of being a junior in high school, realizing that I would soon be a high school senior. Little did I know that my joyous day would soon teach me a serious lifelong lesson. I was leaving a water balloon fight with my friend, giving her a ride home before heading back to my house. I was approaching a stop sign and saw a car turning to the right towards me. I thought it would be fine for me to continue driving through the stop sign, however, there was another car behind the car turning to the right towards me. This third car continued to go straight, and I hit them. I totaled my new car after only having had it for three months. I also totaled the other car which was very expensive. Luckily, no one was fatally injured, but I did walk out with a concussion and was extremely bruised and sore for the next week. There were more consequences that I would have to face due to this accident. After the accident, I had no car and was not able to do many of the fun things I wanted to do that summer. I had to share a car with my mom and could only use it when she did not need it. Furthermore, I had to save money to buy another car and was not entirely sure if my insurance would cover the cost of damage to the other car. So, I also saved money in case the insurance did not pay for this. In the end, my insurance was able to cover the cost of the damage I caused, but I still faced another consequence, and that is the possibility of being dropped from my insurance if I am at fault if another car accident occurs.

Having that car accident was a horrible experience, and while it made me feel bad, it also allowed me to reflect deeply on everything I had learned from driver’s education. It helped me recognize why I had run through the stop sign. I was not paying enough attention to the road or being a defensive driver because I did not recognize that there was a third car. I felt that since I was driving through a small neighborhood, I did not have to be completely focused on driving. That experience instilled in me the importance of utilizing what I had learned in driver’s education about being a safe and conscientious driver. It also reminded me of the necessity of helping others understand the importance of driving conscientiously and safely.

My time in my driver’s education course was imperative to helping me become a diligent driver. Driver’s education is excellent because you are being taught by professionals who can help you learn the rules of the road and learn how to effectively operate your vehicle. This is more beneficial than teaching yourself how to drive or learning from someone who is a non-professional. While I learned much in driver’s education, there were certain concepts that were integral to giving me the knowledge, confidence, and flexibility to handle uncertain circumstances on the road. These concepts were learning unique ways to park (i.e., parallel parking), knowing how to interpret various road signs and flashing lights, and the importance of being a defensive driver. Parallel parking was an important skill I learned in driver’s education because many places around Indianapolis – especially Broad Ripple and downtown Indianapolis – do not offer parking spaces where one does not have to parallel park. This skill is also beneficial when I travel to other cities and states where parallel parking is necessary. Additionally, learning how to interpret various road signs and flashing lights has been beneficial to me while driving in Indianapolis. It also has been helpful when I drive alone outside of the city. While passing through different cities and states, I would often pass signs and lights on the highway that were not around Indianapolis. Driver’s education taught me to understand what these signs and lights mean, allowing me to be a better driver. Lastly, learning how to be a defensive driver has been another asset to me. One example of how I am a defensive driver is when I am on the road and must deal with people misjudging how fast I am going. They often turn left in front of me at green lights, and I must use my skills to slow down accordingly when I recognize that they are going to make a left turn. Even though I have the right of way in this situation and if an accident occurred, I would not be at fault, it would cost more time, harm, and money to get into an accident rather than using my skills to drive cautiously.

I believe it is crucial for everyone who wants to drive to take a driver’s education course. Drivers who have not taken driver’s education make the roads more dangerous and scarier for others. Furthermore, there are other ways that people can learn how to drive better and safer. One way that someone can do this is by taking the proper measures to protect one’s self when driving. Some examples include wearing a seatbelt and driving with the doors locked. Additionally, it is critical for people to be mindful of their speed when driving. This includes not driving slowly in places where people should move at a faster pace (e.g., the expressway), slowing down in the appropriate situations (e.g., when approaching a yellow light), and not tailgating other drivers. Driving too slowly in a place where the speed limit is higher and vice versa can cause more accidents as people work to dodge those who are driving at an inappropriate pace. This type of driving can also cause traffic to ebb and flow, which can cause a crash if someone does not stop in time with the traffic’s flow. Also, if someone is tailgating another driver in one of the aforementioned situations, this can further increase the likelihood of an accident occurring. Furthermore, one should be mindful of not driving while they are distracted or in an altered state of mind. Some examples include driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, eating, and using one’s phone. Lastly, managing one’s road rage is a valuable trait to practice. Not engaging in negative behaviors when upset with another driver is a constructive way to prevent car accidents and deaths from occurring.

Overall, my time in driver’s education and my car accident have been critical to ensuring that I drive effectively. Furthermore, these experiences have allowed me to understand the importance of telling others why they need to take driver’s education when learning how to drive. Lastly, they have allowed me to educate people on ways to drive attentively and safely. As more people are educated about proper driving techniques, we will see fewer driving-related deaths. This will be due to more people being educated on how to be competent and considerate drivers on the roads.