They were just going to see fireworks for the Fourth of July. I stared at my phone, watching as last year’s camp group chat flooded with panic and confusion. Nobody knew much information except that seven staff members from the Boy Scout Camp near the East Yellowstone entrance had been in a car accident. The vehicle rolled down a hill, and all of them were now at the hospital in Cody, Wyoming, with injuries. Just a year ago, I was in the same car, on the same road. The memory hit me like a wave.
We were also traveling with the staff to watch Cody’s fireworks. He was driving at the time too, showing off to us and being reckless. I sat in the back, laughing with my friends, trying to ignore that little voice in my mind that was telling me how we could fall down those hills or be hit by a car because we couldn’t see each other. I ignored it, however, since no one else was saying anything. Of course, I didn’t want to be that girl who ruined the fun.... and in the end, nothing bad happened. We returned to the camp safe and sound; the car was undamaged, and we had new stories to tell our friends about the exciting journey and our 4th of July celebration in town.
Reading the message now sent a shiver of fear down my spine. We didn’t know how badly they were hurt. Our friends who returned to the camp this year were trying to tell us, but they were all giving us mixed information. It wasn’t until the end of the next day, after we had constantly checked our phones, that we were finally told that everyone was okay and had been discharged.
I know that if I had gone back to work at our camp, I would have been in that car. I would have been in the accident. My friend’s accident made me realize how dangerous last year's “fun” truly was, and how no matter how confident a driver is- especially a teen driver- there is always a risk, and we owe it to each other to keep ourselves safe. Even if that means saying no to having “fun” and even getting out of the car.
Teens are impulsive and are risk-takers, especially when it comes to being around friends. We want to fit in and seem “cool,” so we do things even if we know we shouldn’t. We feel compelled to impress our friends or those around us. In high school parking lots, students rev their engines to see whose is the loudest, race each other to the exit, or floor the gas pedal with their friends in the car to show off. And that’s just in parking lots. On the road, teens speed or weave between lanes, either to show off or out of impatience to get to their destination.
But our worst enemy is the phone. It has been ingrained into us that, when a little ding sounds, we must pick it up that very moment and see what is happening. Our brains sort through the possibilities: “Is it my mom?” “Is it my crush?” “Is it my social media?” We lose all concentration and are pulled to focus only on the phone- or else we feel anxious just knowing it’s there. It’s a lollipop held right in front of a toddler while being told we can’t have it.
These distractions and generational expectations are major reasons for accidents. In 2024, the CDC reported that motor crashes were the leading cause of teen deaths in 2023. But we can help make that statistic disappear by working together.
As a teen, I am addicted to my phone just like everyone else. When I get a notification, I want to check it. Fortunately, phones today are improving- both in technology and safety. For example, my family and I changed some settings on my phone to track how fast I am going and determine when I am driving. When it detects that I am, it automatically turns on “driving mode,” silencing all notifications and putting me on Do Not Disturb. Some of my friends even have automatic replies that let them know they’re driving and can’t respond.
No acknowledgment of the lollipop- and the temptation fades.
Now, the urge to impress friends is harder to overcome. We don’t have a button that automatically turns off the need for approval. Experience and time are the solution. As teens, we are brand-new drivers. First, we’re only allowed to drive our parents. Then suddenly, one day we get the green flag to drive our friends- and we assume we’re ready, even though we may not.
But what if, as we learn, we get more opportunities to drive different people throughout the learning process- not just a single person all the time? My driving school helped me grow by assigning different instructors for each lesson, helping me get used to various people in my car. I began to push away my want to impress and instead focus on getting every person who enters my vehicle to our destination safely.
Families can help too. If the opportunity arises during the learning phase- and all parties involved are comfortable- parents should encourage their teens to drive. This helps students to get used to their friends and family in the car and keeps their focus on the road, not on making an impression.
To further build safer teen drivers, they should also get experience in handling risky situations in controlled environments. My family signed me up for a defensive driving course, and I am a better driver today because of it. I learned how to handle environmental challenges like ice, how to park, and even how to manage annoying passengers.
But what stuck with me most was a lesson where my instructor let me entertain one bad habit- texting. He had me texting my friends while quickly navigating their obstacle course. The result? I realized how even “small” distractions could cause major issues. It was a lesson that made a lasting impression.
In the end, there’s no single fix to keep teen drivers safe. But with support from our families, schools, and communities, we can change the culture. If we learn not just how to use a car, but how to do it safely- understanding how our habits affect others- we can become responsible drivers. We just need the people around us to be willing to guide us- and the courage to listen.
Reading the message now shot fear into my heart. We didn’t know how badly they were hurt. Our friends who did go back to the camp this year were trying to tell us, but they were all giving us mixed information. It wasn’t until the end of the next day, after constantly checking our phones, that we were finally told that everyone was okay and has been discharged.
I know that if I had gone back to work at our camp, I would have been in that car. I would have been in the accident. My friend’s accident made me realize how dangerous last year's “fun” truly was, and how no matter how confident a driver is-especially a teen driver-there is always a risk, and we owe it to each other to keep ourselves safe. Even if that means saying no to having “fun” and even getting out of the car.
Teens are impulsive and are risk-takers, especially when it comes to being around friends. We want to fit in, and seem “cool,” so we do things even if we know we shouldn’t. We feel compelled to impress our friends or those around us. In high school parking lots, students rev their engines to see whose is the loudest, race each other to the exit, or floor the gas pedal with their friends in the car to show off. And that’s just in parking lots. On the road, teens speed or weave between lanes, either to show off or out of impatience to get to their destination.
But our worst enemy is the phone. It has been ingrained into us that, when a little ding sounds, we must pick it up that very moment and see what is happening. Our brains sort through the possibilities: “Is it my mom?” “Is it my crush?” “Is it my social media?” We lose all concentration and are pulled to focus only on the phone- or else we feel anxious just knowing it’s there. It’s a lollipop held right in front of a toddler while being told we can’t have it.
These distractions and generational expectations are major reasons for accidents. In 2024, the CDC reported that motor crashes were the leading cause of teen deaths in 2023. But we can help make that statistic disappear by working together.
As a teen, I am addicted to my phone just like everyone else. When I get a notification, I want to check it. Fortunately, phones today are improving- both in technology and safety. For example, my family and I changed some settings on my phone to track how fast I am going and determine when I am driving. When it detects that I am, it automatically turns on “driving mode,” silencing all notifications and putting me on Do Not Disturb. Some of my friends even have automatic replies that let them know they’re driving and can’t respond.
No acknowledgment of the lollipop- and the temptation fades.
Now, the urge to impress friends is harder to overcome. We don’t have a button that automatically turns off the need for approval. Experience and time are the solution. As teens, we are brand-new drivers. First, we’re only allowed to drive our parents. Then suddenly, one day we get the green flag to drive our friends- and we assume we’re ready, even though we may not.
But what if, as we learn, we get more opportunities to drive different people throughout the learning process- not just a single person all the time? My driving school helped me grow by assigning different instructors for each lesson, helping me get used to various people in my car. I began to push away my want to impress and instead focus on getting every person that enters my vehicle to our destination safely.
Families can help too. If the opportunity arises during the learning phase- and all parties involved are comfortable- parents should encourage their teens to drive. This helps students to get used to their friends and family in the car and keeps their focus on the road, not on making an impression.
To further build safer teen drivers, they should also get experience in handling risky situations in controlled environments. My family signed me up for a defensive driving course, and I am a better driver today because of it. I learned how to handle environmental challenges like ice, how to park, and even how to manage annoying passengers.
But what stuck with me most was a lesson where my instructor let me entertain one bad habit- texting. He had me texting my friends while quicky navigating their obstacle course. The result? I realized how even “small” distractions could cause major. It was a lesson that made a lasting impression.
In the end, there’s no single fix to keep teen drivers safe. But with support from our families, schools, and communities, we can change the culture. If we learn not just how to use a car, but how to do it safely- understanding how our habits affect others- we can become responsible drivers. We just need the people around us to be willing to guide us- and the courage to listen.
Work Cited
“Risk Factors for Teen Drivers | Teen Drivers.” CDC, 25 April 2024,
https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/risk-factors/index.html. Accessed 24 July 2025.