The importance of driver education in reducing deaths while driving

I believe the importance of driver education cannot be understated. This is because education is knowledge. Knowledge is power. Road safety, driver safety equates to life preservation. Driver education allows drivers to understand the privilege and responsibility driving entails. Every driver needs to understand, said driver has the power to preserve or take life. Drivers need to know each driver can lose or take a life while behind the wheel, in milli-seconds. Motorists need to understand, a person behind the wheel is behind powerful machinery. This machinery has the power to take many lives, including the life of the driver.

Consequences for drivers who lack the proper driving education can be life changing. Such drivers can be in situations that are fatal to themselves and others. There could be damage to lives and property as well. Furthermore, driver education impacts non-driver safety as well. An example of this is pedestrian safety. The driver can affect their lives. Passenger lives can also be affected by the driver. There have been many instances where passengers have lost their lives, due to no fault of their own.

Furthermore, families and friends of drivers and non-drivers are also impacted. They can be affected emotionally. This occurs when their loved ones lose their lives, due to traffic accidents. Driver education teaches what to do and what not to do. It also teaches drivers how to interact with law enforcement and obey traffic laws. It is important because it teaches how to prepare vehicles for the road. Driver education provides driving etiquette(i.e., how to handle road rage), and next steps in the event of an accident.

Driver education is extremely important when it comes to drunk driving. The perils of driving while intoxicated, or under the influence of a controlled substance are taught. Drunk driving takes the lives of many Americans every year. Drunk driving is particularly dangerous. This is because the lives of others are also affected by the drunk driver. Consequently, driver education prepares motorists for life as a driver. It accomplishes this by educating drivers on the perils of driving while intoxicated, and the legal ramifications that also result.

Legal ramifications can result in fines, imprisonment, or both. There could also be court hearings, suspension, and revocation of driving privileges as well. Therefore, driver education is life saving literally and figuratively. Undoubtedly, proper driver education can impact one’s quality of life. Furthermore, one’s driving history can be positively or negatively impacted. This is based upon how they choose to use and apply their driving education.

Texting while driving, driving without seatbelts, are other challenges that increase the deaths while driving. I have witnessed a family friend take the life of an innocent bystander due to texting. He was charged with vehicular manslaughter and never recovered from this. Sadly, he never drove again. Eventually, he passed away from illness due to excessive alcohol consumption. He consumed alcohol excessively to mask his traumatic experience. I can recall him lamenting on how the person he killed had two young children.

The children were toddlers. Now, they will grow up without their mother. Unquestionably, the children have been affected generationally. The loss of their mother, and growing up at such a tender age without their mother in their lives. Thankfully, they have a father. However, he has been affected as well. He now must grieve and cope with the loss of his wife forever.

Now, I know driving is a privilege, and a responsibility. Driving is a privilege, because it comes with the expectation and understanding, that the vehicle operated, can end someone’s life. The life of the person ended by a poorly educated driver could be anyone. This could be an innocent child, a bystander, a pregnant woman, or the sole provider of the family. The death pf the person is not the only tragedy. The tragedy extends to the families of the person who has passed on. In many instances, many generations of said person’s family may be affected by the loss of the family member.

When I drive, I ensure there are no distractions such as texting. I drive with both hands on the steering wheel, and I look straight ahead. I have instructed all my friends to do the same. I have also warned them to drive defensively like I do. I warn everyone I know not to drive after they have consumed alcohol, or if they are under the influence of drugs or any prescribed medication. I am certain that as along as these safe driving practices are adhered by more people, there would be fewer deaths that result from driving.