Teenage Driving

Believe it or not, dangerous driving habits arrive from when people begin to learn to drive. For teens, their first experience of freedom within the real world is getting a driver’s license. When teenagers get their licenses for the first time, they will typically take advantage of the opportunity and drive whenever and wherever they want to go. Many teens enjoy the thrill of going out and seeing the world. Teens love to have their own form of independence; having a license offers these teens this opportunity. But, driving a car comes at a great risk. These teens underestimate the dangers that can come along driving. Teens do not realize the great risks that they take when driving a two ton “weapon.” Sometimes, these teens are not serious about driving. Teens typically will ignore all of the driving rules and do as they please. This is ultimately the reason why teens are responsible for many accidents as new drivers. 

Majority of teenagers will think it is okay to multitask while behind the wheel. For instance, these teens will most likely text and drive. Teenagers typically have this habit of going on social media while driving. Teenagers love to post videos of them driving at high speeds on apps such as Snapchat and Instagram. Teenagers love the thrill of going at these high reckless speeds and posting their adventures. Teenagers also love to trample all of their friends in their car and drive around. Teenagers will most likely get distracted because of their friends. Their friends will typically fool around and peer pressure the driver into doing dangerous acts for this adrenaline. As a result of their reckless habits, teens face fatal car crashes that will ultimately end their lives. Fortunately, there are many ways to prevent deaths and accidents among teens.

For instance, a new law can be passed that will increase the punishment of a teenager getting caught either texting and driving or doing drugs while driving. Teenagers sometimes underestimate the consequences of doing their actions. They will tend to think that they will have no effect on those around them. If a teenager texts and drives, they are a major hazard on the road. Teenagers will have a greater chance of causing an accident when they text and drive. They are more focused on their social media instead of driving. When there is a harsher punishment, teenagers will rather avoid that punishment. It is a luxury and a privilege to drive. That stricter punishment can be that teens will get their cars impounded, go to jail for a week, and have their license and or permit taken away until the age of twenty one. With that consequence set, teenagers will see that their actions will have consequences. Teenagers will realize the potential danger of their selfish actions and will avoid it all together while on the road.

More than ever before, drivers are driving recklessly. Whether it them deciding to drink and drive or to speed like crazy, some drivers are becoming a hazard to themselves and to others on the road. In the state of South Carolina, red light cameras are prohibited. Red light cameras do more good than harm. Red light cameras catch drivers if they do not stop fully at an intersection and will automatically ticket them if they do. If the driver does not stop for the full three seconds, the red light camera will flash and record the license plate of a driver. Typically, a ticket is sent to the house stating what intersection they blew a red light at and video evidence of them doing it at well. Implementing the red light camera system in South Carolina can positively impact the safety of pedestrians and drivers at intersections.

Red light cameras prevent accidents and keep drivers’ alert. In New York, they have implemented both red light cameras and speed cameras to catch any reckless drivers. The red light cameras are abundant all over the state especially on Long Island and in New York City. The red light cameras generated 1,053,268 summonses just in New York City alone and generated $52.7 million for the city. In 2021, it was reported that 1,109 people were killed by red light runners. Additionally, an estimated 127,000 people were injured due to these red light runners . These statistics are shocking and something needs to be done to address it.

Red light cameras can catch drivers not being alert on the road. This prevents accidents from occurring since more people are conscious about the way they drive. People would be more inclined to make sure they are following the rules of the road to prevent any tickets. People would not want to pay every time they got a traffic ticket so the cameras would deter them from running red lights. This also protects pedestrians on the road. Pedestrians would be safer on the road since there is a lesser chance of them getting hit while walking on the road. Intersections are dangerous and drivers need to be alert of others on the road. The IIHS reports that when red light cameras are implemented in cities, the rate of fatal crashes are reduced from 21% to 14% (Red Light Running, 2023). This proves that red light cameras reduce the amount of fatalities by reckless drivers. With more and more people being conscious about running red lights, the less likely pedestrians are injured. This allows pedestrians to feel safer on the road and be more comfortable biking on the streets. Everyone involved would be benefit from these cameras and it creates a safer environment for both pedestrians and drivers.