Name: Laney Coker
From: Moulton, Alabama
Votes: 0
In some instances,
when youth use poor judgement or make rational decisions, the
consequences can provide valuable life lessons. However, poor choices
in regard to operating a vehicle oftentimes end in serious injury or
death. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,
drivers aged 16 to 19 are the most likely to be involved in a fatal
crash. There are a number of factors that explain this poor safety
prediction; however, I believe distracted driving is the primary
factor contributing to these statistics. With technology on the rise,
people, particularly young adults, are finding it increasingly
difficult to refrain from using, and even glancing at their cell
phone. Second, many young adults and teenagers enjoy cruising the
road together. While it may seem like harmless fun, it presents
multiple dangerous and life threatening distractions. Finally, young
drivers tend to regard driving laws as a “joke” or do not take
them seriously. As overwhelming as this information may be, there are
precautions that every teenager can implement to ensure their chances
of an accident are reduced: gaining experience, avoiding
distractions, and abiding by the law.
The first step to
implementing these practices is to gain as much experience as
possible. This step starts even before obtaining a drivers’
license, with a driving permit. Full advantage should be taken of the
permit. While it may seem as though driving so often so soon can be
dangerous, it is actually quite beneficial. The more experience a
teenager gains driving, the more confident they will be when faced
with certain situations. It is recommended to start small with basic
skills, and then build up to more difficult scenarios, such as
driving at night, in the rain, or in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Drivers ed programs are also a safe way to get the most out
of the driver’s permit, with each student obtaining at least six
hours of on-the-road training and private instruction. While there
are a number of ways to exercise safe driving habits, the root of
these habits is practice, and there is no substitute for experience.
Even after
teenagers actually have a driver’s license, they are still in the
process of learning how to be a safe driver. The best habits a driver
can make strongly revolve around avoiding distractions. Although
everyone is susceptible to getting distracted on the road, new
drivers are especially vulnerable. A teenagers life revolves around
hanging out with friends, and what better way to do this than
cruising the road, listening to music, and maybe grabbing something
to eat on the way? These activities sound completely harmless, but to
a new driver, it could not be more dangerous. Changing the music on
the radio or phone, laughing with friends, and eating and drinking on
the road are all actions that require attention from the driver,
which usually means the driver’s attention is not devoted entirely
to the road. By putting our phone out of sight, limiting the number
of passengers in the vehicle, and avoiding food and drinks while
driving, teenagers can further decrease the chances of being involved
in an accident. It is also best not to drive when overly emotional;
the driver should let a friend or parent know that they should drive
instead. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, distracted driving claimed 3,166 lives in 2017 in
America alone. The numbers do not lie; distracted driving claims
lives, but nearly all of the deathly distractions can be avoided.
The third and final
way to implement safe driving practices is by simply abiding by the
laws that have been formed to protect drivers. It is important to
follow all of the basic laws that have been made, including speed,
texting, and seat belt laws. However, teenagers also have special
laws that have been formed with them in mind. For example, drivers
that have owned a license for less than six months are prohibited
from driving at night, specifically at midnight and early morning
hours. By following this law, young drivers are protected from being
put in situations that traveling at that time of night could present.
Furthermore, in most states, new drivers are limited to the amount of
passengers that they can carry, depending on the amount of time the
driver has had a license. As stated earlier, passengers can be a
great distraction, and the obedience of this law will prevent this
distraction from occurring. More laws centered around distracted
driving prohibit the use of alcohol, drugs, and cell phone use. It is
crucial to consider all of these laws, and the effects that
disobedience in regard to them could cause.
Driving has always
been a critical danger to every person on the road. New drivers tend
to be the most prone to making mistakes that cause the continuous
danger. Though these new drivers will always pose a threat to the
public, they can reduce the amount of danger they are presenting by
practicing safe driving habits, especially attaining an accumulated
amount of experience, limiting distractions, and abiding by driving
laws. The vehicle accidents that have brought death and injury to
people for ages can only be limited when drivers, especially young
drivers, incorporate healthy changes into everyday life.
