Teens and Safe Driving by Ava Sherer

Every 15 minutes a teen driver dies on US roadways, according to a 2021 article published in Psychology Today by Dr. James F. Zender. In his clinical psychology practice, Dr. Zender treats victims of roadway crashes and in 90 percent of the cases, the crash was due to irresponsible behavior. Dr. Zender believes evidence is strong that driver’s education reduces the risk of teen driver’s accidents. However, according to AutomoBlog’s 2024 post, some states do not require driver’s education to earn a learner’s permit or license. A 2015 study from the University of Nebraska followed more than 150,000 teen drivers over eight years. The study found that driver’s education significantly reduces crashes and traffic violations among new drivers. Young drivers who have not completed a driver’s education course are 75 percent more likely to get a ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident, and 16 percent more likely to have an accident.

Some additional statistics shared by the CDC emphasize the dangers of inexperienced driving. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths in the US, and teen drivers aged sixteen to nineteen have a fatal crash rate of almost three times higher than those aged twenty and older. The leading contributor is inexperience, and most crashes occur during the first few months of the teen having their license, and nighttime driving is even more dangerous. I am embarrassed to admit I am personally one of the CDC’s statistics. As a new driver, having just gotten my permit forty-five days prior, I crashed my car in a ditch due to driving while distracted. I was over-confident and thought I could eat my Sonic mozzarella sticks while driving instead of waiting until I was parked. I am so lucky I did not hurt someone else or myself. The accident happened in the blink of an eye, totaling the car I had just gotten, and as a result, I was without transportation to school, sports practices, work, and more. I learned quickly it is a privilege to drive and as such, I must be responsible and focused.

Two of my brother’s best friends were in a terrible car accident when I was fifteen. Coleman and Jacob were riding with another friend on a curvy, South Carolina road. The driver had gotten a brand-new car for graduation and was showing off, driving over 100 miles per hour. The car lost control on a curve and smashed into a tree. Coleman and Jacob were both ejected from the car, while the driver was trapped upside down in the driver’s seat. None of the boys were wearing seatbelts. Jacob, riding in the back seat, suffered minor physical injuries, such as a banged-up knee, cuts, and bruises, and today he still experiences deep depression and mood swings. Coleman, who had been in the front passenger seat, was ejected into a tree and later died while en route to the hospital in the ambulance. The driver suffered a broken neck and had months of healing and therapy, which delayed his college entrance. This accident deeply impacted my family. Coleman and Jacob were always at our house. Coleman loved to eat Mexican food with us at Sunday night family dinner. Two days before his death, Coleman had convinced my older brother and all his friends to hang out in my room and watch the movie, Titanic.

Multiple steps could have been taken to avoid this, and other accidents. The first is parental engagement. Per the CDC, parents can make a difference in keeping teen drivers safe. Riding along with their teens can help the driver get more supervised practice and allow the teen to practice during different times of day and in different types of weather. Restricting nighttime driving is also suggested by the CDC. Some states, like South Carolina, limit teen driving to daylight hours for the first six to twelve months of having a license. Another restriction is limiting the number of teens in the car with the new driver. I believe one of the most important steps in reducing teen injury and death in auto accidents is wearing a seatbelt. If my brother’s friends had been wearing seatbelts, Coleman might have survived the accident. I was wearing my seatbelt during my mozzarella mishap, which helped me regain control of the car and come to a safe stop. Without my seatbelt, I likely would have bounced around the car and lost complete control. My accident could have been much worse, had I been unrestrained.

Teens can take steps to be better and safer drivers. As I just mentioned, wearing seatbelts is a proven method of reducing deaths and serious injuries in traffic accidents. Reducing speed is another practical habit that all teens should practice. Third, never drinking alcohol or using any drugs before getting behind the wheel is common knowledge but must be emphasized. Also, put away all distractions. As I shared from my personal experience, distractions come in all shapes and sizes. Examples include texting or using a cell phone, eating while driving, or engaging with friends can cause a precarious situation to quickly escalate into an accident. We must put away our phones before driving. If we must take a call, we should pull over to a safe location on the side of the road or into a parking lot before engaging with technology.

Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Lives are lost, families are changed, and psychological damage is inflicted when safe driving practices are not followed. With driver education, teens can learn proper driving techniques and avoid costly mistakes on the road. Parental engagement and mentorship through being a good role model are also equally beneficial. Finally, teens must also take responsibility for making good decisions and being conscientious drivers. Some families create driving agreements with written expectations and the teen can pledge to not engage in risky driving behaviors. These are just a few steps in reducing accidents and keeping us safe. I wish Coleman had been wearing his seatbelt. Because of Coleman, I pledged to never drive or ride in a car without wearing my seatbelt. I know it cannot change what happened in the past, but it can positively impact my future and perhaps those around me.