Driver Education Initiative – Equal Access to Driver’s Training

• What
  is the importance of drivers ed in reducing the number deaths
  as a result of driving?

• What
  steps can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to
  driving?

• Have
  you ever had an experience of being in car accident or have seen
  your friends or family members driving irresponsibly?

• What
  steps can you take to be a better and safer driver as well as help
  others become safer on the road?

My mom grew up on a farm, learning how to drive at the age of eight
in the hay fields of Oregon. Every summer, she drove the hay truck
slowly around the fields while my uncle and my grandpa stacked hay
bales in the back. One might assume that my mom’s early exposure
to driving has led her to be a more careful driver on the road. I
would argue that this exposure may have prepared her less for
driving, and may have caused her to be less cautious behind the
wheel, as she wrecked my grandpa’s truck when she was 16, wrapping
it around a tree on her way home one afternoon.

My experience with learning to drive was vastly different than my
mom’s. I have grown up in the suburbs, and the “country
lifestyle” that my mom experienced was not my childhood experience.
In my neighborhood, one is likely to have more access to driving a
golf cart then driving in the hay fields. Being the oldest of 3 kids
in my house, my parents wanted to ensure that I had the best driver’s
education training as possible, as it would become my job to help my
parents with carpool duties after I received my license. They
enrolled me in a 9 hour driving course that included driving on a
closed course and learning skills crucial to maintaining control of
your vehicle in emergency situations. This course proved vital to my
safety, as I recently found myself driving during a dust storm. I
knew the importance of pulling off the road and finding a safe spot,
because of my experience with this drivers ed class.

However, my experience was not one that many of my friends could
afford. Drivers ed is not offered in most schools in
Arizona, and taking this type of class is expensive with little
incentive offered from the insurance companies. Insurance companies
should be mandated to provide substantial discounts for parents if
their children complete these courses. These classes could educate
and prevent numerous accidents that happen everyday on the roads,
from learning the basics to driving under adverse conditions. These
classes could save lives and is an effective way to ensure that every
new driver has equal access to the best possible preparation.
Thankfully, my parents understood the importance of driver’s
education, and made sure I had access to this class before obtaining
my license.

This class also taught me the importance of putting my phone on “do
not disturb” mode while driving. I am very conscious of what could
happen while texting and driving, as many of my friends have been
involved in minor accidents because of distracted driving. While not
a perfect driver, I do my best to not be distracted by technology in
the car.

Learning to drive is a right that many of us take for granted.
Without the correct training, we could be endangering the lives of
others. It should be the responsibility of insurance companies to
ensure that every new driver has free access to these classes.