Agents for Change

It’s
another dreary November day when we are called into the theatre for
an assembly. We trudge through the rain, down the stairs, and murmur
amongst ourselves until the speaker stands. Her shaky hands, booming
voice, and teary eyes alert us to what she’s going to say. I look
up to see a photo of a smashed car abandoned on a highway. I turn
around to see everyone on their phones. In an instant she’s lost us
and swimming alone in an ocean of grief.

The
most fascinating thing about teenagers is our desire to escape as
fast as possible: authority, rules, expectations, and other societal
pressures. A key instrument in this escape route is the graduation
from permit to license. An ever so finite symbol that shakes off
adolescence and embraces independence. So, every time an adult visits
a high school, plaguing teenagers with horrifying stories and images
from fatal accidents, their words are scoffed off and ignored. We
think, “Not
me. I AM a good driver.”

Then,
we retreat to our cars and immediately pull out our phones. The urge
to snap, update, or record easily absorbs our lives. With the windows
down and music blasting, everything seems in our control. One bad
turn, a couple missed stop signs, the disregarded speed limit, “I
know what I’m doing. Right?”
The truth is, we never often never do until it’s too late.

According
to the Center for Disease Control Prevention, 2433 teenagers died in
car accidents in 2016 and almost 300,000 were treated for injuries.
This leading cause of death for people between the ages of 16-19 has
unfortunately become normalized in our society. It’s an
unacceptable statistic that must be changed. We can no longer be
passive in educating ourselves on how to become safer drivers. If we
do not become active agents for change, then we have failed the
thousands before us that were taken too soon.

I
have fortunately never been involved in a car accident but, I have
witnessed countless family members and friends drive irresponsibly.
Every time, the driver has gotten distracted by their phone and ended
up speeding or distracting other drivers. This lack of awareness is
dangerous and cannot continue in the steps to being a safer driver.
We must learn how to utilize turning off our phones and placing them
away from us. Safety and paying attention are the main priorities.
Driving is a full-time job that demands all of our focus.

I
have taken up the challenge to alert my friends and family about the
dangers of irresponsible driving. If I’m in the front seat, I want
to be a helpful passenger and stay alert for my driver. Spreading the
knowledge to others may seem repetitive at times, but I will always
do it if it means helping save a life.