Name: Sheetal Pandey
From: Madrid, Madrid
Votes: 0
“An
Amateur Driver
And
A Powered Safari
Left
Us Weary
Took
My Father To Solace
Killing
Our Life’s Pace..”
As
destiny had planned, my father had to make a sudden trip out of town
but the regular driver was unwell, so instead, he sent his younger
brother to fill. I still wonder why he’d sent him, just because he
knew the physical features of the car? Or just because he had just
turned 18, and was legally allowed to be behind the wheels.
Strangely, in India, getting a driver’s license is not a regress
process, literally, everyone above 18 has one. 3 hours into the
journey, on a blind turn, the car fatally crashes with a bus, and I
lost my father along with the driver in the crash.
My
father always said driving is all about judgment. And a fair judgment
can only come with proper education of the physical parameters,
operating factors, and road rules. It’s an activity that involves
many basic and complex tasks.
“Road
accidents are the global killer of teenagers”- BBC News
Another
study states that teenagers are 10 times more likely to get into an
accident compared to an adult.
There
has to be a reason behind these representation figures of fatal car
crashes and teenaged drivers. Most teen drivers are devoid of any
formal training and are generally taught by their kins about the
basics. Principally, the teachers will teach them about A, B, C &
G, and will miss the fine prints.
More
often than not, drivers do not adjust the seat. A driver is not
taught the importance of having a clear view of the entire landscape
out of the windshield. They either sit too far or too close to the
steering wheel or pedals or will just slouch too low in the seat.
Learning how to adjust the seat, mirrors, seat belts, and the
steering wheel is critical and not just about being comfortable.
Nobody teaches the importance of understanding the owner’s manual
and the controls, checking what each control is used for and what the
indicator lights mean. This can help mitigate the errors caused by
the lack of it and spending too much time searching for the controls
while driving.
An
educated driver checks the feel of the wheel each time when getting
into the driver’s seat. They always know where the controls are and
what they do. It’s in their habit to wear adjusted seat belts
properly and adjust mirrors before each drive.
A
formal driving education, not only focuses on the physical parameters
but also teaches the basics of maneuvering on the streets. It teaches
people to safely communicate while driving, entering and exiting
traffic, using turn lanes, changing lanes, and adjusting their
vehicles’ speeds when necessary. It’s crucial for any driver to
complete the education course to develop rudimentary vehicle control.
In order to reduce accidents, it will be an imperative measure to
ensure that any driver is given a formal education before they get
the license to drive.
