Name: Ginae Stewart
From: MUNCIE, IN
Votes: 5
“Skkkkkkrrrr!”
blares the tires as they are under more pressure than ever to slow
down and get into gear in time to avoid a collision. Unfortunately,
February 1, 2018 dates my own collision experience. In short, the
tires missed the mark sliding on the ice into oncoming traffic. I
have never been more frightened than when there was an oncoming car
heading toward the passenger side of my friend’s car, directly at me.
The bright lights and surrounding darkness are embedded in my memory
as I had no say in the results of the outcome. My life flashed before
my eyes as the oncoming car smashed into my friend’s car; just
inches from my legs. This event, a potentially fatal one, could’ve
ended the lives of my friend, myself, and even the driver of the
other vehicle. Had my friend completed drivers ed he may have
developed the skills to avoid the accident that occurred. This
experience leads me to believe and advocate that participating in a
drivers ed course should not be a chore nor choice, but a
requirement for all. How could anyone deny the option of safety
first?
Every driver
should take a driving training course to ensure roads are safe for
all drivers. Drivers ed courses are designed to create
knowledgeable and defensive drivers. The courses are intended to do
away with developing bad habits by instilling proper road etiquette
upon the students. There seems to be some misconceptions keeping
drivers away from drivers training courses. The cost of drivers
education is a prime example of a hurdle that keeps young students
away; however, one must remember that according to the American
Automobile Association (AAA) although these courses average $450,
human lives are priceless. Another misconception about drivers
education, based on a poll I conducted with my peers, is that it
lacks relevant information. Being a drivers ed graduate, I can
honestly say I know more about drivers courtesy, road signs, highway
guidelines, and seasonal driving adaptations than my driving peers
who did not complete a driving training course.
Some startling
fatality facts from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS):
-
In the
United States, the fatal crash rate in 2017 per mile driven for
16-19 year-olds is nearly 3 times the rate for drivers ages 20 and
over. Risk is highest at ages 16-17. -
A total of
2,734 teenagers ages 13-19 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2017. -
In 2017,
teenagers accounted for 7 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths -
Seventy-six
percent of teenage crash deaths in 2017 were passenger vehicle
occupants.
The
above-mentioned statistics and my own driving experiences lead me to
some salient conclusions. It is imperative that we ensure all future
drivers enroll into a drivers ed course if we are to begin
dwindling the number of driver-related accidents and deaths. A
significant amount of vehicular accidents can be prevented with more
focused (teenage) preparedness.
Creating
defensive drivers brings a balance to trained and untrained drivers.
Trained drivers, those who have taken a drivers ed course, are
more familiar with road signs, highway procedures, recommended
actions to take to prevent accidents, etc.., which will reduce the
number of death- related incidents. Steps I would take to increase
participation in drivers ed and thereby cause a significant
reduction of driver-related accidents and deaths include:
-
Petitioning
my local school district to incorporate a drivers ed as a
part of the standard curriculum -
Ask
legislative representatives to include funding for drivers ed
for all sophomore students to alleviate the cost burden -
Present
the idea of beginning driver safety overviews in junior high English
and/or math classes to the local school board in order to ensure
defensive driving becomes a common practice -
Practice
safe driver rules such as sober friend withdraw keys from
potentially drunk or buzzed drivers, designating drivers during
outings, and advocating use of Uber/Taxi services.
“The Ride to
Remember” ended with a perpendicular collision with both drivers
and the passenger injured. I wish my friend had taken a drives
training course as the simple but helpful tidbits, pointers, and
advice passed along during the courses could have prevented the
accident.
