It all Starts with Driver’s Education

It all Starts with Driver’s Education

Every day, hundreds of teens are injured in car crashes across the United States. Teens are three times as likely to get in a car crash than any other age group, but why is this? There are many factors that contribute to a high level of teen crashes, and there are also many different ways to improve teen crash rates.

One of the largest reasons for teen crashes is inexperience. Learning how to drive does not happen in a classroom, and no amount of videos or lessons can prepare students for what it is really like on the roads. During driver’s training, experienced instructors drive with students, oftentimes with a passenger brake to ensure safety. This gives students the opportunity to learn from a professional how to handle different types of driving conditions and road types. States also implement GDL systems, which provide driver’s permits to teens under 16, so that they can drive with their parents and gain experience. This system would work great, if it were implemented well. I know many people who have faked their required hours, and have gotten in crashes after getting their license. They just don’t have enough experience driving. I thought I was a good driver until I turned left into someone who was trying to pass me. Granted, it was the other driver’s fault, but I could have prevented the crash by checking my mirrors before starting my turn. Now, I always check in my mirrors for cars behind me before I start to slow down for a turn. Crashes stick in the brain, and help us learn quickly how to better our driving, but there are also ways to reduce crashes without the need to experience one.

As stated before, teen driver inexperience is the largest cause of crashes for that age group. More experience behind the wheel with a licensed adult is a great way for teens to learn how to drive safer. Other reasons for teen crashes such as distracted driving can also be mitigated. Distracted driving is a big part of driver’s training, as teens are shown videos of crash survivors and presented statistics about how far a car travels during a quick look down at a phone. Almost 40% of teens report having used a phone while driving, and that’s just those who admit it (I would assume that there are many who lie on the survey). Developing good habits early can prevent phone usage and reduce crashes caused by distracted driving. Many teens see others drive distracted, and are likely to repeat that behavior if no consequences are received. It’s important to put away phones and devices while driving, and to demonstrate the dangers of distracted driving in a safe, controlled environment. Distracted driving isn’t always associated with phones either. Adjusting a radio or temperature controls while driving are also activities that take eyes off the road, leading to crashes. Even day dreaming is dangerous, I recall an instance where I was driving home from a robotics meeting, thinking about a programming challenge, when suddenly I was aware that a stop sign was coming up. I had no time to stop and flew through at about 30 miles an hour. Luckily I was on a country road later at night, and there were no cars in sight, but just thinking about something else had the ability to distract me to the point where I missed key road signs. Driving distracted is no joke, and it is important to stay focused on the road at all times.

Other reasons for a large number of teen crashes is not due to inexperience or distracted driving, but due to unreasonable risky behavior. Not wearing a seatbelt is more common in teens, especially when another teen is driving. There is often a “cool” thing about not wearing a seatbelt, and many drivers don’t want to seem uncool by insisting that passengers wear one at all times. Many times I have driven with someone who did not wear a seatbelt, even after a quick comment about their lack of safety. I also sometimes use the statistic that in over 50% of fatal teen crashes, the person was not wearing a seatbelt. Wearing a seatbelt is something incredibly simple, and can save a person’s life. Another reckless behavior is speeding. Many people believe that speeding will get them to their destination faster, but there are many things that reduce the speed benefits of speeding, making it more risk than reward. One study shows that only about 26 seconds a day are saved by speeding, which could be quickly eaten up by having to wait at a light, or stop sign. Almost everyone has seen someone scream past them on the freeway, only to catch up to them a few miles later in a traffic jam. Speeding is reckless, and teens (especially males) are more likely to speed than others. The fact of the matter is that speed kills, and not keeping to a safe speed not only puts the speeder’s life in danger, but also those around them.

Overall, it is the responsibility of driver’s education to help teens become better drivers. Through the use of GDL systems that require teens to clock hours behind the wheel with adults, and education about the dangers of reckless driving, it is possible to reduce the number of crashes that are fatal. It is everyone’s responsibility to keep the roads safe, and it all starts with driver’s education.

Citations

“Teen Drivers: Get the Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, 12 Oct. 2021,

https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html.

“This Is How Much Time You Save by Speeding.” Coluccio Law, 9 Apr. 2021,

https://www.coluccio-law.com/crash-risk-time-saved-speeding/.