In the Driver’s Seat

In The Driver’s Seat

When we think about causes of death in the USA, road accidents are always on the list, which begs the question: What mainly contributes to these accidents? According to the World Population Review, fatal accidents are no exception to different states, as they cut across each and every one of them, stating that as of 2023, one of the leading causes of death in the country was road accidents, making driving their cars dangerous for everyone. With a majority of individuals holding a driver’s license and being passengers in cars, this traffic of a huge number of drivers is a leading cause of accidents, but the main issue is whether teens are educated enough to follow rules and policies placed to curb such fatalities on our roads.

Teens are in a rather explorative phase, with high energy and adrenaline in their day-to-day lives. The downside of this is the challenges each of them faces, specifically when it comes to driving, as most of them are inexperienced behind the wheel, the legal age for getting a driving license being 16 or 17, depending on the state, and once teens get their license, most of them overestimate their skills in driving.

From poor decisions on when is the right time to drive, depending on the weather, and impulse decision making that may put their lives at risk. Poor decision-making through peer pressure from friends, while taking unnecessary risks just because. Over speeding and drunk driving are also among the biggest challenges facing teens, alcohol being a significant factor in fatal teen crashes, as most of the teens involved in such accidents are usually unrestrained. According to NHTSA, young drivers of passenger vehicles involved in fatal road accidents were unrestrained, increasing the severity of injuries during a crash.

In-vehicle distractions are also a major contributor to accidents in teens, from as simple as changing music to using one’s phone. Teens enjoy taking photos, scrolling through social media, taking calls, texting, and driving, and this does not hinder them in engaging in any of those activities, therefore increasing the risk for an accident to occur.

Teen driving safety should be treated as urgent and important, as the leading cause of death is through teen accidents. I believe teen accidents are easy to prevent, as parents play a key role in ensuring the safety of their children in preventing such accidents. Establishments such as DriveitHome, created by and for parents, help the parents to guide inexperienced teens behind the wheel, monitoring risky behavior and ensuring speed limits are observed. Parents are able to mitigate risks from emotional trauma, loss of life, and expensive healthcare, which accidents may cause.

Driver safety amongst teens starts from home, and also driver’s education. Through the latter teens will be able to build their knowledge and driving skills, reducing unnecessary and impulsive decision making, and also learn how to drive in different weather conditions. It also helps teens take responsibility for themselves and other drivers. It also raises awareness of the risks that come with speeding and engaging in illegal driving practices, promoting the importance of safe driving from an early age, and boosting their confidence and experience as they grow.

Schools may offer high-quality education to teens, teaching safety, risks, and the importance of safe driving, involving the students in real-life situations of the risks of speeding, use of phones while driving, as practicality will help teens understand more about the importance of driving safely. From time to time, schools may have seminars in communities promoting awareness of driving safely and offer informative lectures on safety habits while driving. Schools may work in conjunction with communities to ensure safe driving through inviting law enforcement to walk through the dangers of risky driving and the rules to be followed while driving, promoting social responsibility in the community.

I personally have also been in certain situations that may have put myself and other drivers at risk of causing an accident. One of the common distractions while driving is using my phone for making calls, texting while in traffic, and also scrolling through social media. I find myself picking up the phone even though there’s no urgent or important matter, therefore dividing my attention from the road. Some of the steps I adopted, and also young people may incorporate, to put an end to these habits include: To put my phone in do not disturb or stash it out of arm’s reach while driving to avoid being tempted to use it and fully concentrate on driving, and if I need to make an urgent phone call or text, it’s better to park alongside the road first to use my phone and continue with my journey.