2023 Driver Education Initiative Award Entry

Many teenagers look forward to their Sweet 16 birthday. Not only do they get to have an extravagant party, but they also get to learn to drive. Passing driver education is an essential step to receiving a driver’s license. However, road accidents are causing more deaths than wars. Buzzed driving, distracted driving, road rage, and improperly maintained vehicles are the 3 main causes of car accidents. Making driver education mandatory for those who are learning to drive or getting back on the road after a suspended license is crucial for reducing the number of driving deaths.

The first importance of driver education is learning about common traffic laws, importance of road safety, and driving skills. Knowing the traffic laws and properly enforcing them can significantly reduce the number of car accidents which leads to less fatalities. Defensive driving techniques are also quintessential in driver education which include being extremely alert when other drivers are nearby, scanning the road, know how to react in a variety of safety hazards, maintaining safe distance from other vehicles, and more. These skills and knowledge are necessary for reducing the number of driving deaths.

The second significance in driver education is learning how to be responsible on the road. This includes acceptable driving behavior and driver’s etiquette. A significant number of driving accidents are caused by people who lose their temper while driving. Driver education talks about the safety hazards of speeding, distracted driving and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Driver education also teaches the importance of ensuring all people in vehicles wear seatbelts. Learning about responsible driving behavior is an optimal way in preventing situations that have a chance of leading to fatalities on the road.

The third impact of driver education is gaining an understanding of vehicle maintenance. Maintenance is checking for properly working brakes, tire pressure on each tire, functioning headlights and taillights, and much more. Maintenance is essential for all vehicles that travel on the road. While maintenance is expensive, it is essential for ensuring peak vehicle performance on the road. Vehicles that are well maintained reduce the risk of an accident due to a faulty vehicle.

The final benefit of driver education is the ability to gain driving experience before receiving a license. Those who receive a driver’s license without having all the necessary knowledge or driving experience are more likely to partake in risky behavior on the road throughout the entirety of their adult lives. Unfortunately, this increases in the number of vehicle accidents and driving deaths. However, driver education is crucial for gaining driving knowledge and experience before receiving a driver’s license.

While driver education is a big way for drivers to ensure safe roads, those without driver’s licenses, such as myself, can also help with making roads safe. There are multiple steps that can be taken to reduce the number of driving deaths. Even for those who don’t drive, it’s beneficial that they learn traffic laws so they can ensure that each driver is following the laws. If not, then they can call the police and report the driver(s) to law enforcement. Road maintenance is also a way of making sure everyone drives safely. Roads that need fixing should be reported to the proper authorities immediately so they can be fixed before vehicle accidents happen. The third way to ensure road safety is for vehicles to be installed with a variety of safety equipment. Cameras, sensors, etc. can play a critical role in preventing accidents as safety technologies help drivers see potential hazards that are not visible for drivers. The last method for everyone to ensure road safety is public awareness campaigns. These campaigns can be targeted for a specific road danger. The 2 most popular campaigns talk about the dangers of distracted driving and buzzed driving. These campaigns become popular because they use social media, radio, TV, and billboards to advertise for the public.

While I have never been in a car accident or witnessed anyone I know drive recklessly, my mom was involved in a car accident. She finished lunch at McDonald’s and was going to cross a busy intersection to go to the mall for errands. One of the cars entering McDonald’s though lost control, went airborne, landed upside down, slid a few meters and hit my mom. The brunt of her pain was in her right leg and the doctors inserted a titanium rod. She had to use a walker from that point on. I was notified of the accident during my 7th grade math class, and I had to stay with my grandparents till my mom was well enough to go home.

In conclusion, the number of deaths caused by driving accidents is extremely high. There are multiple causes of driving deaths including driving under the influence, road rage, improperly maintained vehicles, and many more. However, there are ways for everyone to reduce the number of accidents and deaths on the road. A primary way is for everyone to partake and pass driver education. While there are other ways for demanding road safety for everyone, driver education is the most impactful. I firmly believe that driver education would have stopped the accident that my mom was in as well as many more accidents.