In the Driver’s Seat: Stay Educated and Safe

The nonchalance sometimes bordering on sheer recklessness when it comes to being behind the wheel compares best to the analogy of the frog in boiling water. If the water’s hotter temperature immediately affected the frog, it would not stay in the pot. But if the temperature is only raised in incremental amounts, the frog is completely oblivious to the danger until it is far too late. In the same way, if a driver is involved in a roadway accident, the natural ramifications include more cautious behavior when driving. On the other hand, as is the typical case, if a driver has always successfully made it from point A to point B, they are more inclined to engage in more behaviors that can prove detrimental to their safety and the safety of others. So why is driver education so crucial, and what steps can we take to create a safer roadway environment?

According to Forbes Advisor, car accidents take the lives of an estimated 1.3 million people a year worldwide. Tragically, many of these deaths are avoidable, as a number of controllable factors contributed to this loss of life. If we can educate drivers on the importance of following the rules of the road, an increased awareness will in turn mean increased road safety. After all, being prepared for a myriad of roadway scenarios leads to better responses when things do go wrong. Drivers can follow a plethora of steps to reduce driving deaths, including but not limited to: driving sober, properly wearing seat belts, adhering to the speed limit, driving undistracted, and driving alert and cautious. These steps are a way to better control oneself on the road, and to limit the risk of getting into an accident. In addition to drivers keeping all these in mind, it also remains crucial for drivers to watch their surroundings as well. Since humans are prone to negligence and error, it remains impossible to entirely eradicate roadway dangers. Mistakes will happen, and increased awareness will allow for other drivers to react in a way that has the potential to lessen the severity of an accident.

I have unfortunately been in two different car accidents, during both of which I was behind the wheel. In the first incident, I was a young, inexperienced driver on the way to a friend’s house. I had to use the GPS, and I happened to look at the directions on my phone right as I was coming to a four way intersection. I missed my stop sign and didn’t realize until I was out in the intersection, where another car was crossing. Luckily, no one was injured, but the bumper of the other car came off. From this experience, I learned the hard way that even unintentionally driving distracted can have severe consequences. In my other accident, I was driving to work on a day when the roads were slick. I thought I would be fine since I was not speeding, but as I was going around a turn I lost control of my car and slid across the road into a nearby field. This close call led me to realize that I was not educated on how to treat my car in scenarios of less-than-ideal weather. Overall, both these experiences illustrated the importance of driver education, because all it takes is one wrong move to affect the trajectory of your entire life.

Unfortunately, I did not start out as an educated driver. I dealt with severe anxiety as a younger teen, so driving lessons with my dad always ended up with me coming home in tears because I made a mistake and freaked out. I had no desire to drive, but knew that I had no choice but to learn. Due to my hesitation, I put in the bare minimum required to pass the test and get my license. I didn’t even take a driving course, because my school offered it over the summer and it cost extra money that I didn’t feel like spending. I sincerely regret my lack of effort, as it affected the quality of my driving in a way that I’m not proud of.

All that being said, I now understand just how important constantly exercising caution and learning the correct way to drive truly is when it comes to safety. Since the roads are constantly in different weather conditions, and hold different challenges at various points of night and day, education on how to drive in every condition helps ensure everyone makes it to their destination.

Works Cited

Simon, Shelby. “How Many People Die from Car Accidents Each Year?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 Jan. 2023, https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/auto-accident/car-accident-deaths/.