More Than Just a Statistic

In 2019, Johnston County in North Carolina totaled to 1,109 crashes that involved teens. Johnston County ranked 6^th in the state for teen highway deaths between 2012-2016.

As a young person who lived in Johnston County and was just learning how to drive, these statistics frightened me more than anything else. I didn’t want to practice driving for fear that I might come across a drunk driver at some point or find myself in an accident involving a distracted driver with a cell phone in their hands.

Many inhabitants of Johnston County are all too aware of the consequences of distracted driving or driving while intoxicated. Several teens’ lives were cut too short. While I attended the parent-student driving safety meeting, I learned of the depressing stories of the teens that attended Clayton High that did not make it to graduation. It brings me immense sorrow to recall the face of my teacher as tears rolled down his eyes as he described the empty seats at the graduation ceremony. Permanently etched smiling faces framed in simple photographs were resting on the seats that should have been filled. Their deaths have permanently affected the community, especially the families that grieved their siblings, nieces and nephews, and children.

While I have not personally been in a car accident, I have witnessed many problematic driving behaviors that lead to an increase in crashes and fatalities. The most famous is driving while intoxicated, which resulted in 10,142 deaths in 2019 alone. Drunk driving results in reckless behavior, loss of coordination, impaired motor skills, and slow reaction times. For people that survive, there is a chance they could be left disabled as well.

Another problematic driving behavior is distracted driving. The prime cause of distracted driving is using a cell phone. Not only does it encourage you to take your eyes off the road, it also encourages you to take your attention off the road, resulting in you not seeing dangerous road conditions despite being in your field of vision.

Road rage is yet another common cause of car accidents. It can be caused by a multitude of reasons, including being late, being hungry, or being upset due to prior events in your life. It can even be caused by sleep deprivation, which also affects your driving and mental capabilities in a similar way that drunk driving does.

Driver education is vital to reducing car crashes, especially among teens. Driver education bridges the gap in knowledge that many driving courses or parents won’t go over such as the dangerous effect of drugs on the human body or the implications of driving inattentively. Driver education can also emphasize the importance of safe driving techniques and ways to be a better driver.

First and foremost, to eliminate drunk driving accidents, one needs to eliminate the drunk driver. The best way to do this is to drink at home or at someone else’s house. If you must drink while out with others, designate a driver that will remain sober the entire night. To prevent road rage, resolve your problems before getting on the road. This is easier said than done, but with therapies and deep-breathing exercises, it is possible to ensure a safer road for yourself and others. If you have an appointment you must attend to, leave early just in case there is traffic. This will result in calmer driving without fear of being late. Sleep deprivation can be fixed by sleeping an adequate number of hours each night. If you are feeling tired, pull over and take a short nap. A short-term solution can also be consuming caffeinated drinks as well. The biggest hurdle to go over is preventing cellphone use while in the car. I can attest that the best way to prevent phone use is by employing the “out of sight, out of mind” technique. I turn my phone off and put it in the backseat where it is difficult for me to reach while I am behind the wheel.

In Johnston County, there is a long way to go before teen deaths ultimately stop due to unsafe driving habits. However, there have been improvements over the years. Driver education and graduated driver licensing laws help instill good practices at younger ages before accepting full driving responsibility with a license.

In conclusion, deaths due to driving can mostly be prevented by engaging in driver education and following local and state laws. Stopping bad behaviors before getting on the road such as not using drugs or alcohol, getting enough sleep, and turning your phone off can create better and safer drivers. If everyone can collectively disseminate this information, we can prevent horrible tragedies from occurring, such as the ones that Johnston County and other counties in America know all too well.