Drivers Education Scholarship

Once you get your license, you feel like you are free, however, your family is constantly worried about your safety as you take on the streets in your city as a newbie. I know my family is worried and still does today. With millions of people on the road daily, drivers need the tools to be safe, respectful, and responsible.

Although I thought the many hours behind a computer watching videos was somewhat tortuous, there is a lot of beneficial information needed before attempting to get behind the wheel. Driver education is helping reduce the number of deaths when it comes to driving. Education is key to prevention. People must know the rules of the road, to keep everyone safe, and understand how a car works before driving one. Since cars are such a powerful machine, people must know the laws that are made to keep us all safe. My generation of kids spend so much time on their phones. While traveling with families in cars, we miss watching the driving techniques because we are too busy on our phones. I missed so many real-life driving lessons because I was preoccupied with all my phone apps. Sticking your nose in your phone during drives with parents also removes your mind from the road. New drivers are relying more and more on gps because they aren’t paying attention to how to get somewhere when someone else is driving them there. This means new drivers are having to rely on their phones for directions, which can cause stress, and distract from the road. Having young drivers take the course work online first and then apply those skills with hands-on driving lessons is very beneficial. I am grateful that California makes you put in hours with an instructor. Personally, driving with my mom was really crazy. If I stopped too fast, she would fling her head in an exaggerated way. It was obnoxious and she was not a patient teacher. I learned how to drive through my patient driver’s ed coach and continue to learn as I drive daily. The more you practice safety routines, the better driver you can become.

Distracted drivers are out there on the road daily. There are several things that distract drivers, however, the most distracting is a cell phone. It doesn’t matter what city you are in, you will see a surplus of people using their phones while driving. It doesn’t even matter if their car is moving or stopped at a light. I have seen it all. Cell phones play a huge role in accidents. When people hear that beep coming from their phone, they put their life on the line for a text back, a response, or a snapchat notification. Even though phone messages can come through on the car’s computer screen or be read aloud, many are still trying to answer or respond to the messages coming in. States cite tickets for cell phone use, but I think only those who have gotten a ticket would be mindful, until they are not. There is an epidemic with driving and using your phone at the same time. There is no way you can fully be aware of your surroundings while answering an email or text. Cell phones aren’t the only problem with distracted driving. It seems that everyone believes that they can multitask everything while driving. People don’t take driving seriously nowadays. People do their makeup, eat, and much more while driving. In order to reduce accidents, drivers need to take getting behind the wheel as a serious task.

Unfortunately, I have gotten into an accident and it was my fault. I was coming down a hill, messing with the radio, and hit a man in a truck from behind. Thankfully, no one was hurt that night, and my car slowed down so no damage was done to the truck I had hit. I was trying to figure out how to add stations while I was driving, and forgot to focus on driving. I have been driving after the accident for about 2 months now. As much as I don’t like to admit it, my driving before the accident was not the most focused. I paid attention to the road, but I would eat while driving, or drive with one hand sometimes. Because I take the history of my car, and the price of insurance so seriously, I now take driving more seriously than I previously did. I never fiddle with the station while I am in motion, and always have two hands on the wheel now. To stop the urge to eat, I never keep food laying out. I drive alone almost all the time, except for when I take my little brother to and from school. The incident with distracted driving makes me think of him. Although he wasn’t in the car when it happened, I hope he never fears getting in a car with me. He tended to distract me sometimes. That is usually the case with passengers unless you plan on sitting in silence. We have now made a pact that we can chat in the car, but he cannot show me anything or mess with controls. I also plan ahead now, making sure I’m not rushing to events. I avoid making or answering phone calls that could until I finish my drive. I drive with caution and intention to solely drive when I get in the car. To avoid accidents, I would suggest these steps. Before setting the car in motion, set your temperature, radio, or other controls. Fiddling with controls is distracting, and is what lead me into an accident. Always leave the house early; speeding causes stress and is only going to increase your chance of getting into an accident. Trying to run that red light could cause issues, and late people tend to be impatient. Swerving through lanes trying to pass people is dangerous. Finally, if you drive with passengers, set boundaries, eyes on the road, not what they are talking about or doing that would draw your attention away. Without a doubt, accidents are bound to happen. Completing driver education, knowing the laws of the road, and focusing while driving are steps that can help prevent some accidents from happening