To be the best driver you can be you have to be aware of the worst that’s out there. Forewarned is forearmed. If you understand the things that can happen you will be able to prevent many dangerous situations or handle them better when they occur.

If you’re a decent driver who pays attention to the rules of the road, you’ll know that the biggest danger on the road is your fellow driver rather than yourself. You’ve heard it a million times. It’s impossible to know the driving skill of another driver or his state of mind. The oncoming vehicle may be driven by an emotional teen or a drunken middle-aged man. It may be filled with noisy children and a distracted mother. It could be another teen, chatting away on her cell phone, oblivious to what is going on around her. You must be alert to any sudden and unexpected moves made by anyone else. There are some accidents that cannot be avoided, but if you remain aware of other drivers you can avoid many of them.

It’s a good idea to keep your car in good condition. Keep the oil changed and do routine checks and maintenance. A rattle-trap car that putt-putts down the street, coughing and smoking all the way, will be a danger not only to you but to other drivers. Should brakes suddenly give out you could be rear-ended. Windshield wipers that don’t work properly can block your view of other traffic and might even prevent you from seeing important road signs and signals. You can also be sure that a car that isn’t maintained will catch the eye of a police officer sooner or later, and you really don’t want that.

Weather is an important factor in safe driving. Heavy or prolonged rains can make roadways slick or difficult to see. Roads that become iced over are very dangerous. Snow can obstruct vision and make roads very hard to navigate. Stay off the roads when there are weather advisories against driving, and be sure to install tire chains before the bad weather sets in if you live in an area where they are necessary. Know what to do to come out of a skid, and how to maintain control of your vehicle when your wheel traction is less than optimal.

Think through various scenarios and plan ahead what you’ll do when caught in a dicey traffic situation. Remember that you will never rear-end someone no matter how quickly they may come to a stop if you have allowed enough room between your vehicles. Keep your distance. It gives you wiggle room for reaction.

A big danger for teens when driving is their belief that they are invulnerable and their willingness to take risks. Drag racing or daredevil driving kills many teens each year. So does drinking and driving or driving under the influence of drugs. Innocent passengers get killed due to the foolish antics of a showoff. The privilege of driving is awesome, but so is the responsibility that goes along with it.  Take it seriously because your life depends upon it.

In the classroom you’ll learn about the responsibilities of driving. You’ll be taught the meanings of road signs and the correct procedures for managing intersections. Some classes even go so far as to teach how to change a flat tire. The rules and regulations are stressed, ensuring that by the time you’ve graduated from the course you’ll understand what’s lawful and what’s not.

A lot of chair time goes toward learning safety behind the wheel. There’s instruction regarding driving in adverse weather conditions, especially those that make roads slippery and dangerous. Students learn defensive techniques for coming out of a spin or a skid. Hopefully you’ll also come to understand the dangers of playing at drifting games with your friends. You’ll learn about the basic issues of remaining alert at all times when driving. It’s not always a matter of what the driver is doing but of what the other driver is doing, so you have to pay attention. Yes, this means no texting or talking on the cell phone while driving.

One of the units you’ll study will be about driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Inexperience behind the wheel and intoxication are deadly, and to press home the seriousness of this issue, many driver ed classes will require you to watch a movie depicting the consequences of driving under these conditions. While a teacher might fail to get these points across to the students while lecturing, the visual will get their attention fast. Most students, when asked what they remember about their driver ed class will invariably say, “the movie”.

You’ll become aware of issues surrounding accidents and be taught how to prevent accidents from happening, as well as what to do in case of an accident. Your teacher will impress upon you the importance of maintaining your vehicle so that it runs properly and isn’t a threat to other vehicles or people.

Molding the attitude is one of the most important aspects of these classes. You can’t be cavalier when behind the wheel of a car or truck, you have to be level headed and calm. The dangers of road rage will be discussed, as well as the reasons certain hand signals are not approved by the DOT, and you know the ones I’m talking about.

Driver’s Ed classes have extensive resources available for teaching road skills and practical driving knowledge. They’re taught by professionals so all the important aspects of driving are touched upon. You’ll learn a lot during driver’s ed and you’ll become proficient behind the wheel, making yourself and those sharing the road with you much safer.