The Next Generation is the Most Imporant Generation

Paula
Smith

In
the Driver Seat 2020

The
next generation is the most important generation

Imagine
the best day of your life becoming the worst day of your life. This
happens to teens across America almost every single day, most
importantly this happened to me. My best friend and I were driving at
dusk listening to music and chasing the sunset. The next thing we
know something hits the side of the car and we are rolling. I don’t
remember much except for when the 16-year-old girl, had only had her
license for a week, apologized for not seeing the stop sign because
she was changing the song on her phone. Due to someone not having
enough experience in a vehicle, my best friend and I’s life was put
into danger. This day changed my life and how I look at driving.

South
Dakota, North Dakota and Montana all have the minimum age of 16 to
have a full license, that’s no restrictions. These states allow
14-and-a-half-year olds to take drivers ed classes online,
that means there’s a chance of distracted learning. We should
change the law that drivers ed can only be taken in class, and new
drivers need to pass with a 100% to ensure they have retained all the
information. Stricter laws about cellphone use in cars should be put
in place. A fine of only a few hundred dollars just isn’t enough
currently. There are now cars that help with keeping your eyes on the
road by taking the need of a phone off the hands of drivers.

I
will take a stand to distracted driving by putting my phone out of
reach while driving, and to encourage my friends to do so as well. I
will propose new drivers to take drivers ed in a physical
class, to help them retain more information and stay focused. The
generation below us is the most important because they will be the
youngest ones on the road. If they see us off our phones and focusing
on the road they will too. They look up to the generations above us.
Stories like ours help them learn the horrible things that can
happen. Let’s all influence them to put the phone down and stay
focused in class and while driving after.