I haven’t been in many accidents in my life, just one. But that one was enough.
It was the second semester of my senior year. February 22, 2022. A date too unique to ignore. I left early from my last class, tennis. Coach Rhodora had warned me not to leave without my parents’ approval. She didn’t want to be held responsible if something were to happen. Me being my stubborn teenage self, I didn’t think twice. I grabbed my keys and walked out. Looking back, that decision changed everything.
I left during rush hour and took a different route home than usual. Just felt like it. I was approaching a stoplight going maybe 10 or 15 miles per hour, when BOOM. Out of nowhere, a woman pulled out of a parking lot trying to turn against traffic and slammed into my car. Her poor judgement gave my 2015 Nissan Sentra a nasty “smooch” right on the front passenger side. Not to mention that my tire ended up under the car making it undrivable.
I called my parents and the police arrived. All while my car was blocking traffic. The tow truck showed up and gave us two options: pay $100 to tow the car home or let them take it to the yard where the other driver’s insurance, Allstate, would supposedly handle everything. The officer on the scene said to let them take it. He assured us insurance would take care of it. We believed him. Big mistake
That decision led to a year of frustration, dead ends and a stressful court case. A story for another time.
This brings me to the first question: Why is teen driver safety such an important issue? Because we’re new, because we aren’t taken seriously, and because we often don’t know what to do when things go wrong. Teen driver safety is not just about how you drive. It is about what happens when the unexpected hits. And trust me, when it does, you better be prepared. Not just on the road, but in what comes after.
One of the biggest challenges teen drivers face today is lack of experience. That was definitely me. No one had ever told me how insurance claims worked. No one explained the risks of letting a tow truck take your car to a yard you do not control. I didn’t know that storage fees could rack up or that insurance companies ghost you. I also didn’t think that a moment of teenage independence, like leaving practice early, could roll in a year long battle over a car that was legally mine and then suddenly wasn’t.
After I filed the claim, Allstate accepted responsibility and assigned a body shop, B & M. But they never contacted us. I was a high school senior juggling college applications and school deadlines, and now my dad and I had to be up behind the insurance and mechanics to get things done. Weeks passed. I followed up. They said they were backlogged and could not repair my car until May. Then July. Then they said they never received authorization from Allstate. I followed up again. Got the papers resent. Months went by and, still, nothing. So, I went in person, and I was told to go find another shop, which I did. The new shop said that they would pick up the car from the lot in a couple of hours, but when they did, they couldn’t find it.
Turns out my car had been sold. Auctioned off, back in April, without our knowledge because of unpaid storage fees. No letter, no calls, no warnings. The car was gone. A car that my parents paid for and a car that I needed for school.
We lost $7,500, a year of transportation, and our trust in the system. So, we sued. We couldn’t find a lawyer to take our case, so my dad and I handled it ourselves. I was starting college and working a new job on campus while also building a case and preparing for court. In February 2023, a year after the accident, we received a settlement of $8,000. Not justice, but at least something.
Looking back, this experience taught me just how important a driver’s education really is. Not just teaching you how to drive, but how to handle everything else that goes with being a driver. Teens need to know how to protect themselves when things go wrong. Drivers ed should cover more than just road signs and safe turning. It should teach you what happens when you get in a crash, how to file a claim, what a tow yard is, and how to check your rights, and how to avoid being taken advantage of.
I also learned how important it is to develop strong safe driving habits from the beginning. The accident was not my fault, but it showed me how little control I had. And how quickly your life can change behind the wheel. Even though I was careful, I became a statistic. Teen drivers are vulnerable not only because of their own driving habits, but also because of how others drive.
So, what can teens and communities do? First, teach the whole process. Educate teens on how insurance works, what a police report really means, how to advocate for themselves, and how to document everything. Second, schools and communities need to treat driver’s education like life prep, not just a requirement to pass. And finally, teens need to look out for one another. If someone seems distracted or pressured to drive when they are tired or upset, fill in.
I learned the hard way for how things go wrong, when people don’t follow up, and when adults treat you like you are too young to matter. This whole situation taught me to stand up for myself and to not give up so close to the finish line. That is why I believe that this scholarship would support me and my journey not just academically, but personally. To fight for what is right and for what I deserve.