When the topic of terrible road conditions and reckless driving is brought up in San Antonio, most people will respond with, “Tell me something I don’t know,” but what if the people were set up to fail? Is drivers ed covering how to adapt with terrible road conditions? Locals are not to blame for the driving culture when poor road conditions are presented around every corner; driving recklessly is inevitable. The city’s highways need to be fixed as soon as possible because the lives of the people that make up San Antonio depend on it.
There were a total of 39,355 car accidents in the city in 2022. These alarming statistics show the lack of safe driving practices. Sometimes, it is not the drivers who are to blame because there are unpaved and trashed roads throughout the city. The highways are filled with remnants of blown up tires, plastic waste or random potholes. These conditions are putting drivers at risk of swerving and crashing into one another, or worse, losing their lunch in the driver’s seat. Other times drivers sometimes forget to abide by the rules of the road. Which leads to the source of it all, what is missing in driver’s education.
During driving tests, there are a lack of practices that should be tested. For example, driving on the highway is not mandatory, as well as driving through a roundabout. The drivers test should include more scenarios of driving in a city since they are ranked the most dangerous areas to drive through. Aiding people with the proper knowledge and practices on how to maneuver themselves throughout a city should be a subject of top priority.
Referring to the lack of education provided for drivers, there is a huge problem that needs to be addressed. Texas drivers’ ed takes a mere 32 hours to complete therefore more time needs to be implemented. 32 hours is not enough time to properly learn all the scenarios that an individual may face driving through a city. There should also be a proper education of all road conditions. Covering a range of what to do when faced with trashed roads and weather conditions.
When comparing the length of drivers ed, Montana’s driver’s ed takes 60 hours. This is a lot better than just 32 hours. California, having only 36 hours of required drivers education just shows how much improvement is truly needed in America as a whole. How come the third largest state takes more time to teach its citizens how to drive than the largest state? This explicitly shows how there is a need for action. Not only do the lives of the people in San Antonio depend on it; all the lives in Texas depend on it.
There needs to be a direct focus towards breaking down these preconceived notions that driving in this city is hectic because drivers here are inherently crazy. It is not their fault; the poor road conditions and the education driver’s receive is the cause of it all. It is going to be a long journey before we see change. But the point is to keep the conversation going to help provide a better education for those who will be driving tomorrow. Followed with clean roads to ensure a better driving experience.
