Name: Ella Chatfield
From: Jenison, Michigan
Votes: 0
One late afternoon, Xavier was speeding down Baldwin St. with the sun at his back and his music blaring. He had just left his friend’s house and headed home for dinner. His phone buzzed, he picked it up, and saw that it was just his friend texting him to say he had left his sweatshirt there. He was about to answer when he felt the gravel give way under his car and looked up right before he crashed head-on into a telephone pole. He was killed upon impact and did not make it to the hospital.
Does this story sound familiar? It seems that every day we turn on the news, there’s a different story about a teenager killed in a motor vehicle crash. As a society, we’ve become so normalized to this part of life, even though it is anything but normal. These crashes and news reports are fully capable of being prevented. The problem is that our community feels this is a part of everyday life and a regular casualty. Xavier was a student at my high school, but he was not the only one affected by distracted driving. Dozens of other students were involved in crashes throughout my high school career, with a handful of them being fatal. As a society, stories like these cause us to pause our lives for a few days, but then we return soon after without any change. How can we ever expect an end to these tragic accidents without a desire for change?
Every 13 minutes, someone is killed by a motor vehicle crash. This totals out to approximately 41,000 people in the U.S. each year, with the leading cause being distracted driving. Teens make up about 40% of these fatal crashes. But why?
In today’s world, teenagers face a plethora of stressors in their lives. From wanting to look good in front of their peers to securing a spot on their varsity team or simply pleasing their parents, teens face many pressures. These pressures tend to carry over into driving and can be amplified with added distractions. The biggest one? Our phones. Social media notifications, texts from friends, music playlists- it’s all within reach. Our phones allow for these everyday pressures and distractions to overtake every part of our lives, even while we’re driving. But the truth is, no text or Snap is worth a life. Looking down for just five seconds at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field blindfolded. And yet, many of us do it without thinking. Xavier looked down at his phone for less than one minute, and it ended up costing him the ultimate price. Texting while driving is not something to take lightly. By eliminating our phones while we drive, all of these external pressures and distractions will subside, allowing us to focus on the road and the task at hand: getting home safely.
Texting while driving is not the only distraction teenagers face. Peer pressure is another invisible yet prominent danger. We’ve all been in situations where friends urge us to go faster, take the long way home, or blast music with everyone yelling in the car. Sometimes, we give in or are actually the ones to do it without being asked because we don’t want to be seen as “boring”. But those split-second choices can have permanent consequences.
And then there’s inexperience. Teenagers simply haven’t spent enough time behind the wheel to react perfectly to every curve, every stoplight, or every reckless driver they encounter. Mistakes come more easily- not because they’re careless but because they’re still learning.
Xavier’s story reminds me every time I drive: I don’t want to be just a headline. His accident was caused by several distractions, like so many other teen crashes. I don’t want to be “just another number” or yet another teenager that ends up on the nightly news. In addition, our media needs to do better and stop contributing to the stigma of deadly teen crashes like it’s some normality.
So, what can we- teens, schools, and communities- do to make sure more young drivers stay safe? First, teenagers need to look out for each other. I encourage teens to speak up if a friend is driving recklessly or offer to drive if they’re too distracted. Set boundaries for yourself by turning your phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode while driving. Turn down the music and adhere to the rules about how many passengers you allow in your car to limit distractions. You won’t always be the “cool” one for saying no- but you might be the one who saves a life.
Schools can also make a huge difference by implementing realistic, engaging driver’s education. They can bring in guest speakers who’ve lived through crashes, simulate drunk driving experiences with goggles, or even organize mock crash events that show the full weight of what can happen. Driver’s education has been shown to reduce teen accidents drastically, so why not invest in it?
Communities also have a part to play. Local leaders can lobby for laws that protect teen drivers, like curfews or limits on passengers. Parents should also lead by example by refraining from texting while driving, engaging in road rage, or reckless driving. Kids are very impressionable and are always watching. When they see the adults in their lives take driving seriously, they’re likely to do the same.
But most importantly, we all need to remember this: We are not just headlines of another news story. We are sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, best friends and teammates. We all have futures worth protecting. So the next time you step behind the wheel, think: Do I want to be just another number?
