Safe Driving Saves Lives

Drivers Education gives you the knowledge you need to stay safe on the road and it teaches you how to be a defensive driver. It teaches students the rules of the road, important driving vocabulary, how to react in different situations, useful knowledge about car insurance, and car maintenance skills. Drivers education is required in many states for young drivers to receive their licenses for good reason.

Car insurance rates are the highest for teen drivers, as well as the elderly. This is because teens are inexperienced and older people can’t react to situations as quickly. However, this does not mean that those not included in this group are better drivers and should pay any less attention while driving. Many people believe that they are good drivers because they have been driving for a long time, but this is not accurate. In order to be a better and safer driver, you should always follow these rules. While driving you should always practice defensive driving, as you never know what might happen. Even if you are the best driver, the people around you may not be, which can lead to accidents. You should never drive distracted. This includes more than just using your cell phone. Distracted driving includes talking to passengers in the car, eating, drinking, trying to pick something up that you dropped, and anything that takes your attention off the road. Even looking at your phone for a few seconds can lead to catastrophic damage and can cost someone their life. You should always wear your seatbelt while driving or when you are in the car. Many people do not wear their seatbelt because they say they are too lazy to put it on or because it is uncomfortable to wear. This is extremely unfortunate because seatbelts save lives. They reduce the amount of impact on a person in an accident and prevent people from being ejected out of the car. It is important to wear your seatbelt at all times, even if you are going on a two minute drive. Next, you should always yield to pedestrians. Pedestrians are vulnerable to being injured by cars and heavy motor vehicles. Make sure to always stop at stop signs completely and check crosswalks to make sure no one is there. In addition, when driving in bad weather conditions, you should always drive with extra caution and drive below the speed limit. Make sure you know how to drive properly in conditions such as snow and rain before going on the road. Lastly, no one should ever drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Some people believe that alcohol and drugs won’t affect them and that they will be fine to drive, but this is far from the truth. Drugs and alcohol decrease your reaction time, so you are not able to react to situations as fast as you normally would be able to. They may also make you drive more erratically and dangerously. Drinking and driving is a serious offense and the consequences are immense. Around 32 people are killed everyday due to drunk driving crashes. Don’t be a part of the statistic! Never let anyone under the influence try to drive or operate any kind of vehicle. Instead offer them a ride yourself or arrange them a ride.

During driver education, my teacher showed us numerous videos of people getting into accidents and crashes. Many of these accidents were caused by some of the things I previously mentioned. I saw people using their cell phones and posting videos while driving. Some of these incidents resulted in people recording themselves getting injured or even dying in car crashes, all because they wanted to look cool in front of their friends. I also saw many videos and read articles about people who were injured or killed due to drunk driving or people being under the influence of drugs.

In order to be a better driver, you should always follow the rules of the road and drive safely. Never do anything that you think may put yourself at risk or be of harm to you. You should always make good decisions while driving and pay attention to the road at all times. The best drivers are alert and aware of their surroundings. Be a kind and courteous driver. Never attempt to cut people off or get into arguments with other drivers. Always use proper signaling and obey road signs and lights. This includes things such as stopping completely at a stop sign and following the speed limit. Talk with your family and friends about good driving habits and make sure they follow the rules of the road as well. Educate them on what you know and give them friendly reminders. If you are passionate about becoming a safe driver, you can be a role model for others and encourage other people to be safe drivers as well.