We CAN Solve the Issue of Teen Auto Accidents!

Drivers’ education is crucial in preparing drivers to navigate roadways safely.  Properly learning the rules of the road, as well as how to confidently and safely operate a motor vehicle, is something that everyone must do to obtain their license, and a good driver’s education program teaches.  I had the privilege of being able to access a high-quality drivers education program that prepared me for the realities of being on the road. However, in many places, driver’s education is not accessible to large groups of teens. I live close to Milwaukee, and there is a significant reckless driving problem here, which, daily, results in severe accidents and deaths.  Most of the individuals involved in these reckless driving incidents do not have a valid driver’s license and never had one.  Drivers’ education used to be offered through schools at a very affordable price.  Most schools, especially in big cities, have cut driver’s education programs from their curriculum. I know this is the case in Milwaukee.  Anyone who wants to learn how to drive must obtain training from a private driver’s education company, which can cost hundreds of dollars, which means it is out of reach for many teens. Ultimately, many then make the dangerous decision to drive without a license or any formal training which is dangerous for themselves as well as those they share the road with. I believe that making driver’s education accessible to more teens would help to reduce the number of teens driving recklessly and causing serious accidents.

Another option that may help reduce serious accidents is increasing the driving age to 18.  I obtained my license at 16, and it has been a major help getting myself to school, sports practices, and work.  However, according to a study done by the CDC on driver safety, “the crash rate per mile driven is about 1.5 times as high for 16-year-old drivers as it is for 18–19-year-old drivers.” As teenagers, things such as speeding, texting and driving, and keeping focus on the road are often engaged in by new teen drivers. The peer pressure of society makes it seem “uncool” to drive in a cautious way, instead, fueling bad habits through social media and teens’ perception. As somebody about to turn eighteen, I am much more mature in my decision-making now than I was at 16.  At 16, our brains are still developing, and we admittedly do not always exercise great judgment.  Many teens I know have been involved in accidents already, and in most cases, they were the fault of the teen driver. If teens had to wait a little longer to obtain their license, it would undoubtedly be less convenient but may save lives.

I also believe texting and driving is a huge contributor to accidents and death.  In July of 2018, I was 12 years old.  My dad and I were headed home from a baseball game when we were involved in a significant car accident.  While waiting to turn, a driver struck the back of our car at a high speed.  The other driver admitted being distracted by his phone, so he failed to brake and hit our car.  For years after that accident, I was always on edge when traveling in a car because of this experience.  Admittedly, now that I am a driver, it is tempting to check my phone at a stoplight or send a quick text to a friend, but I always have in the back of my mind that accident years ago and how awful it was to experience. Thankfully, my car has Bluetooth, so if I need to make a phone call, I use the hands-free feature and try to make the call short. By doing this, I am helping to protect myself and others on the road.  If we, as teens, committed to putting our phones away when driving, many lives would be spared.  I guarantee that if more people my age had been involved in a serious accident because of a distracted driver, they would think twice about picking up their phone – just like I do. I would like to see greater emphasis in the media and on social media channels on the realities of distracted driving and the accidents that can result. I think the most effective approach would be to utilize teens to deliver these messages. Teens listen to other teens. I would absolutely be willing to share the story of my accident and how it affected my family and me.  I think other young people may also be willing to share how distracted driving has impacted them whether they were the cause of an accident or the victim of one.  No one thinks something like this is going to happen to them, until it does.