Teen driver safety is an important public issue because teens have low awareness of surroundings and less experience on the roads. According to the CDC, teens aged from 16-19 have three times the amount of fatal crashes than adults 30-59. That poses many questions as to why the fatality rate is so high and even higher for teen drivers?

Teens have a lower chance of using safety features such as seatbelts. The CDC states that 56% of teen fatalities in the year 2020 were because of inadequate seatbelt safety. Driver education plays a big role in this statistic. Not wearing seatbelts, speeding, reckless driving and drug use behind the wheel are important factors to reduce fatality rate and keep our teens safe. These easy pillars that create safe driving and bring our kids home can be taught through important initiatives in driver safety classes. Driver education directly impacts all behaviors of reckless driving. You are taught rules of the road, what will get you arrested or pulled over and how to keep yourself and others safe while driving. Fatalities not only hurt the driver, but passengers and other drivers on the road including pedestrians. These classes directly give knowledge to young adults who are anxious, new drivers allowing them to grow in skills on the road and avoid future problems by saying no to drugs and alcohol behind the wheel.

The biggest pressure teens face today in distracted driving is use of technology and the inability to say no. Teens growing up in the 21st century are introduced to phones while driving. This can include calling, texting, changing music and looking at directions while driving. The inability to say no stems from the ego of looking cool or feeling invincible. No one knows or thinks today will be the last day they are alive when behind a wheel.

The saddest part about teen driver fatality is teens can easily avoid every distraction behind the wheel. Technology can be put away in your pocket, turn your phone off or use road safe tools such as a car phone holder to easily access maps and not touch your phone. Putting your phone away or turning on features like “do not disturb” will allow complete concentration on driver safety and getting to your destination safely without breaking laws. Peer pressure can be resolved with an easy “no.” Teens need to learn how to say no to drug and alcohol use from friends, playing loud music and driving fast behind the wheel. Making it to your destination safe is cooler than never making it at all.

When driving back to school after a spring break beach trip, my friend hit a deer, in the dark, on a two lane highway with cars behind and beside us. The car was totaled and all air bags went off. My friend was driving with two hands on the wheel and all passengers were safely sitting properly with seat belts in use. After hitting the deer, we were able to slow down to a complete stop and safely exit the vehicle without getting hit by another car or being injured by the airbags. Although it was the scariest experience I have had while being in a car, my friends and I were safe because of proper driver safety.

Certain things can be done to maintain proper driver safety. Classes are offered for defensive and DUI driving. I took a week long Joshua’s law class before getting my driver's license. I drove with an instructor two hours a day seven days a week, learned how to change a tire, change oil, learned the laws and rules of the road and most importantly learned how to avoid fatal wrecks from distracted driving. I became more prepared and aware of the dangers being behind the wheel and with that my insurance company gives me a discount on insurance. A win-all situation.

Offering free driving courses through the community is a good way to teach underprivileged teen drivers how to avoid fatal situations behind the wheel. Fire departments and police stations have seminars on risks of driving and what to do during a medical emergency while driving. More involvement from parents and legal guardians should be instated. My parents have Life360 on me and are alerted on how fast I am going and can send me safety notifications to avoid reckless driving. Parents can not teach their children to drive if they have reckless driving themselves. Putting down your phone, wearing your seatbelt and driving the speed limit are three basic pillars teens can use for driver safety. Save your life, drive safe and make it to your destination alive.