You, Me, and Phil Winkelstein from Toledo

The day my father found my car will go down as one of the best days of my life. For a while after I got my license I spent my time driving around a minivan. Thus, I was overly excited when my dad found a 2010 Kia Soul – with which I immediately fell in love – and took my mom and me to test drive it. I spent my own hard earned money on the car, named it Phil (Winkelstein from Toledo), and have been told it matches my personality. That being said, driving is scary. Especially being, what feels like, the one safe driver out of the entire student parking lot at my high school. Many times I have almost been hit by someone because of their impatience to get to lunch. Many times I have been frustrated by their blatant disregard for the rules of the road and how desensitized they have been to how their actions affect others. Many times I have wondered, with shaking hands, what could have happened because of their decisions. Therefore, driver education is important to me for my life and for that of Phil Winkelstein from Toledo.

Knowing of consequences is not the same as understanding and having a respectful fear of them. This statement sums up the importance of driver education. If drivers understand the implications of driving in dangerous or compromising ways, it will reduce the number of deaths related to driving. The correct education will instill a respect of the rules and a swiftness to adhere to them. An educated driver does not necessarily create a timid driver, but one that can excel at it. Take college, for example. Students go to acquire a higher education and master skills needed to be proficient in a certain profession. The same applies for driving. Education that readies drivers and prepares them for the consequences of mistakes and cutting corners (both literally and metaphorically) will create proficient drivers. A good use of pathos in driver education will appeal to emotion – a powerful driving force for human beings – and make way for these concepts. If someone with an understanding of the horror and heartbreak of a death due to an automobile accident was to be an instructor, the recipients of that message will be more likely to take it home with them and implement the good habits they have learned.

To learn defensive driving strategies early, my parents signed me up for Drivers Ed. I begged and pled for them to not make me go. I appealed to them to not sign me up for something like that as I was already a timid driver, in my early days, and did not need anything else; however, they ignored me, and I went. Though I was still hesitant to admit that I had learned a lot and slightly enjoyed myself, it was a worthwhile experience and instilled in me knowledge of how to drive safely, why it is important, the consequences of refusing to do so, and maybe a little bit of confidence. According to studies, graduates are 65% less likely to have a car accident in their first three years of driving. Making a program like this affordable and easy for more people would be an essential step towards reducing the number of driver related deaths. Moreover, creating programs that cater to individual ages and stages will instill the disciplines that are applicable to differing driving habits that are likely to have been developed, even subconsciously. One could argue of it being a requirement to take a class like this every so often to be eligible to renew a license; however, I can see the opposite side of this idea, but it is a step that could be enacted if, for some reason, deaths related to automobile accidents get out of hand. Another suggestion is limiting the features within the car. Many times I have found myself not paying as much attention as I should be to the road because I am focused on what is happening within the vehicle rather than outside it. Some features are needed for comfort and do improve driving within certain weather conditions, but I have had many people tell me that they get overwhelmed by all the new features presented in vehicles these days.

The first time I ever encountered a driver that made me feel unsafe was when I went to a college experience weekend. This person was ignoring the speed limit by going at least twenty miles per hour above and was constantly changing lanes to go around people who were conscious of it. They would grab their phone when they stopped at a red light and seemed more interested in it than driving. I only had to ride with them twice, there and back, but it was the worst experience of my life. Other than this person, that I probably will not see again, I have not had any accidents myself or seen my family members being irresponsible drivers. For the most part, my friends are not old enough to drive or I have not seen them drive, but I do have a good enough relationship with them that if I did see something I would have no problem bringing it up to them. It is important to have people who can speak the truth, especially when it is difficult, to ensure the short-lived hurt in that moment does not become something like a life changing accident.

That being said, to be a better, safer, driver there are many things I can do. For one, I can limit the amount of time I spend adjusting things while the vehicle is in motion. This would, in turn, limit the time that my focus has been mostly taken from the road. Keeping my music at a volume that does not distract or getting too lost in my own personal concert would do the same. So far I have not used my phone at all and continuing that trend, or pulling off if I feel it necessary to reply, would help me to be a safer driver. Lastly, being conscious of my own impatience and reminding myself that it is not worth risking my life, the lives of those around me, or Phil Winkelstein from Toledo no matter how much I want to get home.

Of course I know that nobody is perfect. I know that mistakes happen, I have made some of them myself; but I wholeheartedly support driver education and hope the next generation of drivers has more respect for themselves, others, or – at the least – their cars. And that they desire to drive safely and reduce the number of automobile related deaths through driver education.