Why is a Driving Education Important?

To be a safe and educated driver, it is essential to be aware of the dangers associated with a car. I think that this is an important topic to be discussed, especially as a car is one of the main forms of transport. Obviously a car can get from point A to point B; however, cars can also take you from life to death.

As a child, I remember how excited I was to learn how to drive a car, because of its sense of independence and peace. When I was finally 16, I pranced up to my dad’s home office and asked to learn how to drive. At the time, my dad was truly terrified to say yes to my question as he thought that he may gloss over key details—leading to my understanding of the road to be unclear. Therefore, he came to the conclusion that the best way to educate me on the importance and dangers of driving was to place me in a driving school. Driving school truly taught me that I need to pay attention while driving, because an accident can happen in the blink of an eye when focus is shifted. Honestly, there are a lot of rules that people tend to ignore when teaching their own kids how to drive, so i’m glad my dad decided against teaching me himself. Furthermore, since the driving school has their own curriculum, there are truly no rules to be missed.

An area that car accidents occur was my high school—where over 650 cars reside. Due to the large population of students in the school along with the limited space to park their cars, car accidents were bound to happen. However, the reason most accidents happened is because most students are still unfamilar with the rules of the road. Students treat the green light as if it is a green arrow, allowing students to blindly turn even when there is incoming traffic. The difference between a green light and a green arrow is a point the curriculum made sure not to miss. This example is one of many cases from which a driving education associated with the driving school has quite literally saved my life.

Some steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving include checking the mirrors, avoid being on a substance, and limit touching the phone. These steps will greatly decrease the chance of getting into a car accident as the driver will be more attentive and focused. Merging lanes without consulting the mirror will enable the driver to fully depend on technology. Though this is a level of comfort we all strive for, we should not be fully dependent on technology for it could malfunction at any moment—-making manually checking for incoming cars necessary. Next, if on a substance, one will find it very difficult to obide by the rules of the road, because they are not in the right headspace to drive. Lastly, touching any electronic device is a risk, because it shifts your focus from driving to checking notifications. These steps are ones I can take as well to be a safer and better driver as I begin to use the car on a more regular basis.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a car accident happens once every thirteen minutes in the United States. Fortunately I have not been in a car accident, but my friend is not as lucky. Last month while driving around in Los Angeles, she was making a right turn when the light turned green. The driver on the opposite side was making a left turn on a green light as well. The driver did not yield to incoming traffic—-my friend turning right—-so they began their left turn. They both collided into one another resulting in damage in both their cars and themselves. Later that week, my friend was informed that the driver turning left did so under the influence. The lesson learned from this event other than the fact that she should be much more attentive when driving is that even when you are in the right, the other person can be in the wrong. This will make or break the event, since one irresponsible driver is enough for a car crash to occur.

All in all, one must be ready to learn the rules of the road to be a safe and effective driver. Rather than jumping at the opportunity to take on the road, an individual should take time to understand road signs and what to do in certain circumstances to be prepared to drive a vehicle. The best way to cover all the bases is to invest in a driving education.

Even today when I start my engine, my driving instructor’s voice still rings in my head saying “Drive safely, because most accidents begin with careless people.”