When I was 16, I was working my first job at SkyZone. I loved the energy, the music, and the freedom that came with having a paycheck. I especially looked up to my 19-year-old manager—she was fun, confident, and seemed to have it all figured out. So when she invited me to a party one weekend, I was excited. I knew there would probably be drinking, but I made the decision early on that I wouldn’t participate. I even offered to carpool with her because I wanted to be responsible.
What I didn’t know when I got in the car with her was that she was already high.
It didn’t take long for me to realize something was off. Her speech was a little slow, and she kept laughing at things that didn’t make sense. Then she started driving fast. Too fast. She was speeding across a narrow bridge, drifting a little in the lane, and acting like it was all a game. I sat in silence, heart pounding, scared to speak up because she was my boss and someone I really wanted to impress. But at that moment, I genuinely thought I was going to die. Thankfully, we made it to the party in one piece. But the experience changed me. It made me painfully aware of how quickly things could go wrong in a car, and how much trust we place in others when we agree to ride with them. Since then, I’ve been far more cautious about who I ride with, and I never assume someone is sober or safe just because they seem like they have it all together.
That night wasn’t the first time impaired driving impacted my life. When I was younger, my mom was hit by a drunk driver. She survived, but two of her friends in the car were killed. I was too young to fully understand what had happened at the time, but I remember the fear, the hospital visits, and the heaviness in my mom’s voice when she talked about it. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized just how lucky I am that she lived and how unfair it is that so many families don’t get that same outcome.
These experiences have made me passionate about teen driver safety. Teen drivers, like my manager, often don’t understand the full weight of the responsibility they take on when they get behind the wheel—especially if they’re under the influence. And for passengers like I was, it can be incredibly difficult to speak up, especially when you're young, unsure, or afraid of social consequences. But staying silent can be deadly.
Education is key to changing this. I believe schools need to go beyond just the basic rules of the road. Yes, we need to know how to park, merge, and obey traffic signs. But we also need real conversations about peer pressure, substance use, and how to get out of unsafe situations. Role-playing scenarios in class, hearing from survivors, or even watching firsthand accounts of people who lost friends or family members to impaired driving can make the lessons more real and lasting.
Teens also have the power to influence each other. If it becomes normal to say, “Hey, are you okay to drive?” or “Let’s get a ride instead,” we can shift the culture. I’ve learned that being responsible isn’t about being uncool, it's about staying alive and protecting your friends. It takes courage to speak up, but every time someone does, it gets a little easier for the next person.
Parents and communities can play a big role, too. Parents should model safe driving behavior and have open conversations with their teens—not just lectures, but real discussions. Communities can provide safe alternatives for transportation at night, host teen driving safety events, and support public awareness campaigns that focus on real-life stories rather than just statistics.
So, what specific actions can teens, schools, and communities take to promote safer driving among young people?
Teens can start by being honest with themselves and each other. That means refusing to drive impaired, not riding with someone who is, and speaking up when something feels wrong. We can also use social media to spread awareness and make safe driving the standard, not the exception.
Schools should expand driver’s education to include emotional decision-making, peer pressure, and substance use awareness. Inviting guest speakers—especially those with real experiences—can leave a stronger impact than any textbook ever could. Schools can also support student-led initiatives, like safety clubs or campaigns.
Communities can host free driving workshops, provide safe ride options during high-risk times (like prom or graduation), and create public service announcements that reflect real stories from local teens and families. Businesses can sponsor these efforts and help spread the message.
Teen driver safety isn’t just about avoiding tickets or passing a test. It’s about protecting our futures and the people we care about. The decisions we make—whether it’s getting behind the wheel or choosing who we ride with—can mean the difference between life and death. I learned that lesson at 16. I hope more teens can learn it through education and support—not through fear or tragedy.