Picking Up the Pieces

The frontal lobe of the human brain isn’t fully developed until the mid-20s. Consequently, young adults often feel as though they are invincible, causing them to take tremendous risks without batting an eye at the potential consequences. Unfortunately for many, this includes taking risks when it comes to driving, which is why it is imperative that teens go through a driver education program. These programs help teens learn about, reduce, and understand the consequences of the risks associated with driving in certain situations, whether they be preventable, such as texting and driving, or inevitable, like driving through bad weather.

For starters, of the most important steps instructors can take when teaching about risky driving is showing the widespread impact of an accident. Don’t just focus on the victim who was driving the car, focus on those who loved the victim, and the impact the accident had on their lives. Focus on the people who are left picking up the pieces after somebody else was irresponsible made a mistake. A teammate of mine once got in trouble for underage drinking, and bragged about it in front of our coach. We had to run sprints as a punishment for her actions. The punishment had little effect, and my teammates still laugh about it to this day, but I can’t imagine what the atmosphere would have happened if my teammate hadn’t been caught. She would have driven home in her car that night, and possibly been hurt or killed. Not taking the risks of her actions seriously was nothing short of selfish. If something had happened to her, her life, or that of another driver, would be shattered and it would be those around her picking up the pieces, not her. Nobody would be laughing then. Showing the testimonies of victim’s families to students can push students to think about the effects that their risky actions can have on others, whether it be drinking and driving, or texting and driving. Taking these effects into consideration will make young drivers less likely to take risks, and make them more responsible drivers, which will lead to a lower number of driving related deaths. After sitting in my driver’s education class and watching videos of parents whose kids have died in car accidents due to risky driving, I was deeply moved and became more conscious of the consequences of risky driving. Now I am able to see things from my parents’ perspective, and have a better understanding of why they worry so much when I drive. Seeing the sadness of other people’s loved ones has motivated me to make sure my parents never have to experience that sense of anguish, and I often find myself worrying more when my friends use their phones while driving, or even when my family members do.

Although I have been lucky enough to never have been part of a car accident, York County, the community I live in, has been plagued by teen driving deaths related to risky behavior. For example, in 2020 a lively night at a high school dance was darkened when three students from Tabb High School died in a single vehicle accident. In my driver’s Ed. Class, we learned that the boys had driven around a turn going 30 miles over the speed limit. In addition to this, the driver did not have a license. Another accident in 2022 hit closer to home, when two students at my high school, York High, died in an accident on their way home after the last day of school. The students collided with a tractor trailer as they were driving around a curve. When my friend showed me dashcam video from the tractor trailer, I was shocked to see that the students had drifted around the corner before over-correcting and slamming head-on into the tractor trailer. These are just a few examples of how my community has been affected by teen driving fatalities stemming from risky and irresponsible driving. Although my mom has been in an accident before, I feel that the deaths of my fellow students serve as a better lesson regarding the dangers of risky driving behavior. My mom’s accident was largely unpreventable, as it was a multi-vehicle accident that occurred when an experienced driver cut her off, and she was unable to stop in time. On the other hand, the accidents involving the teens could have easily been prevented by taking fewer risks. Though their deaths were tragic, and left our community hurting, I am still fortunate that I am able to learn from their mistakes, and I hope that students throughout York County continue to learn from them too.

Learning about the reduction, and consequences of risks during driver’s education classes plays a pivotal role in reducing driving deaths, and is part of what makes these programs so important. The more stories we can show regarding risky driving, the more consequence-conscious students will become. It’s important that teachers keep talking about the deaths and accidents no matter how sad or painful they may be. In doing so, they just might motivate someone to become more careful and responsible when they drive.