A Necessary Change

On August 3, 2023, a seventeen-year-old high school student was struck head-on by another driver who crossed into her lane. While the driver survived, she passed away in the accident. I played volleyball against her, and she was going to be a senior this year. We were the same age, just beginning our lives, achieving new milestones. It’s a tragedy that reminds everyone how somebody can be taken in an instant, and how unfair it is that someone so young had her life end so quickly. These stories are constantly headlining the news, saddening the communities and towns affected. In the first three months of 2023, approximately 9,330 people were killed in car accidents. In a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sixteen-year-old drivers are one and a half more likely to get in an accident than a driver who is eighteen or nineteen. Drinking and driving, speeding, distracted driving, and not wearing seatbelts are all factors that raise the rates of accidents and deaths. This raises the question, what can we do to decrease deaths and car accidents?

One answer is to increase the amount of Drivers Ed programs available in more rural states such as Montana. As an individual living in a small town, I didn’t have the option to take driver’s ed. As such, my first time behind the wheel I was nervous, and unsure about 100% of the laws while driving in town. Thankfully, I had my mom with me but had I had the opportunity to take driver’s education I would have been more prepared. Not only would driver education help increase education about driving and traffic laws, but a result would be fewer accidents. Students learning how to drive would have the opportunity to have driving hours before they take their test and are driving independently. Therefore, increasing the Drivers Ed programs would help new drivers to be prepared and capable.

There are simple steps to take as a driver that can decrease your risk of causing or dying in an accident. Buckling your seatbelt every time you get in your car, no matter how far the distance, is a simple way to help protect yourself in the event of an accident. In teenagers, it is especially common to not buckle your seatbelt, according to a statistic that the CDC found in 2020 56% of teens in accidents were not wearing seatbelts. Implementing laws that require drivers and passengers to wear seatbelts, and giving tickets to those not abiding by those laws is one way of enforcing this step. Also, speeding is a common cause of accidents. These risky behaviors result in consequences such as tickets, hydroplaning, hitting other cars, or losing control. There are speed limits for a reason, and as a responsible driver, it is your duty to follow them. By maintaining the speed limit, drivers can help eliminate the risk of getting in an accident.

Driving under the influence is one of the most lethal actions one can partake in. Ingesting alcohol blurs your vision, slows your reaction time, and influences your ability to drive responsibly. Taking measures such as designating a driver who does not drink, taking an Uber or taxi, or staying where you are and not driving home are ways to avoid drinking and driving. The consequences of doing so included tickets and a DUI which results in a fine, community service, or jail time. As a minor, the consequences include a MIP on your record, a fine and/or community service, and another backlash. Not to mention the lifelong guilt of causing an accident and hurting or killing another person. My parents have always instilled in me and my brother that drinking and driving is never an option. While they are always safe drivers, some of my friends are not always.

In a world where technology is continuously advancing and making leaps, teenagers seem to be the most susceptible. Constantly checking our phones, scrolling through Instagram or Snapchat, it’s rare for a teen to not have their phone in their hand. Taking your full attention off the road causes drivers to miss road signs, and delay reaction time. Moreover, texting while driving results in 25% of accidents, Hardy Wolf and Downing reported that distracted driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than drunk driving. Teens are more likely to be inexperienced as drivers, and more commonly on their phones while driving. These two don’t mix and instead create a dangerous partnership. As such, laws have been put in place to help combat this problem. Banning texting while driving, and implementing consequences such as strikes on your driving record, or a suspension of your driving license.

Some ways that I personally take to be a better driver are being constantly aware and always being a defensive driver. This means wearing my seatbelt, paying attention to road signs, and keeping a lookout for drivers who may not be vigilant. Not all drivers are responsible or good at driving but I can be, in order to look out for myself. Also, when I first started driving I was scared of driving in town, but I made myself drive, in order to become comfortable doing so. Now, as a college student, I feel at ease driving in a bigger city and navigating heavier traffic. Moreover, growing up in Montana and learning to drive in harsh winter weather has made me more competent at navigating harsh conditions. There were several days that after several inches of snow, I’d have to drive to school on unplowed roads. Snowstorms and heavy rain were all part of my daily driving which forced me to become accustomed to all kinds of roads. Having ample practice is a very important step that every teen should take before becoming completely independent in driving. Practicing driving on freeways, in towns, and in all kinds of weather with an adult or instructor will help reduce potential accidents and increase your driving knowledge.

By implementing more Drivers Ed programs to increase driving education among young teens, and accustoming new drivers to all kinds of weather we can decrease accidents. Also by creating stricter laws and enforcement for not wearing seatbelts, driving under the influence, and texting while driving, we can continue to cut down on easily prevented accidents and deaths. Taking the initiative and learning how to be a defensive driver is an action that anyone can implement in their everyday lives. While we cannot save the lives lost, we can take action to prevent further lives from being taken.

Works Cited

“Distracted Driving Accidents: Common Causes and What to Do.” Hardy Wolf & Downing, 4 Jan. 2023, www.hardywolf.com/news/what-are-the-most-common-causes-of-distracted-driving-accidents/#:~:text=Texting%20and%20driving%20cause%2025,for%205%20seconds%20or%20more.

Media, NHTSA. “NHTSA Estimates Traffic Fatalities Dropped in the First Three Months of 2023.” NHTSA, NHTSA, 21 June 2023, www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-traffic-fatalities-estimates-first-quarter-2023.

“Teen Drivers and Passengers: Get the Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 Nov. 2022, www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html#:~:text=Crash%20risk%20is%20particularly%20high%20during%20the%20first%20months%20of%20licensure.&text=For%20example%2C%20data%20indicate%20that,19%2Dyear%2Dold%20drivers.