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Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death around the world, as they take countless lives every single day. As a 20-year-old, I’m part of a young age group that is vulnerable to distractions behind the wheel, whether we like to admit it or not. Many of us, myself included, have been guilty of texting while driving, blasting music too loudly, or simply not giving the road our full attention. I’m not afraid to admit that I'm not a perfect driver. I’ve caught myself speeding, scrolling through my phone, or even zoning out during long drives from time to time. These aren’t habits I want to carry with me forever. They’re dangerous, and most importantly, they can be fixed. My life is valuable, and continuing to make careless mistakes behind the wheel just isn’t worth it, and this is why teen driver safety is important.
When you’re a teen, you’re not fully thinking, which can cause us to make dumb mistakes like maybe driving when you know you’re tired, speeding, drinking and driving, using your phone or being distracted by friends while driving, and much more. Although to some teens this may not seem that serious, in the grand view of things, it is extremely dangerous and could eventually go on to take a life if not fixed.
In this essay, I want to walk through the driving habits I know teens struggle with and the specific steps that should be taken to change them. Let’s start with zoning out while driving, something I believe is incredibly common. According to a recent study by George Mason University, around 70% of drivers admit that their minds often wander while they’re on the road. It’s a hard habit to avoid, especially during long or familiar drives, but I believe it’s also one of the easiest to fix if approached correctly.
The first step is to make sure that we’re not driving while tired, especially for longer trips or late at night. Being tired can lead to a loss of focus even quicker than a distraction can. Before you even get behind the wheel, you should ask yourself, “Am I alert enough to drive?” Once you're on the road, you should stay engaged by scanning your surroundings regularly, checking mirrors and your speedometer, and keeping the windows cracked for fresh air if needed. Listening to a podcast or music can also help the mind stay active, as long as you don't have it not too loud or distracting.
Then there’s phone use, which is one of the most dangerous habits drivers face today. We all know the dangers of texting and driving, but that doesn’t seem to stop most of us from doing it. I’ve been guilty of checking a notification or replying to a quick message, but I’ve come to realize how risky that is. To combat this, we should start by putting our phones in an unreachable spot, like in the back seat or in a backpack. Also, use “Do Not Disturb While Driving” mode, which can prevent messages from coming through unless it’s an emergency. If you absolutely need to respond to something, I’d recommend using Apple CarPlay voice commands or safely pulling over to respond.
My personal plan for improving on these bad habits includes a few steps: never drive tired, especially at night; load music or podcasts before I start driving; keep my phone on driving mode; and if I find myself zoning out, open a window and begin going through the motions. The truth is that anything can happen on the road at any moment. We’re all just one second away from a serious accident. By holding myself accountable and sticking to these steps, I believe I can become a much safer and more responsible driver, not just for myself, but for everyone else I share the road with, and everyone that cares about and values my life.
But why is taking these steps important? To me, they’re important because I’m tired of seeing young lives taken on the road. It seems like every year, there is someone from my hometown that I went to school with passing away in a car crash, and that can be draining seeing these young lives with potential gone because of unsafe decisions. It almost makes you think, “I need to be more careful on the road. This is real.”
Driving isn’t like playing a video game or watching Fast and Furious, it’s real life. One wrong move, and multiple lives could be on the line. And us teens are especially susceptible to those distractions on the road. If I could give any message to teen drivers, I’d say: BE SAFE! Life is valuable, and life isn’t promised. PLEASE take care of yours.