Loved ones with bright futures vanishing before your eyes, quick deaths on the side of a busy highway and a meet up ends violently-all of these are avoidable tragedies. All of these are also the dangers everyone who drives can face on the road every day, multiple times a day. It is no secret that driving, no matter how much experience you may have, is a risk. However, it is a risk that is necessary in America for many people who want to be employed, visit their family or just to buy groceries. So, millions of Americans-including many teenagers-must learn to drive, and these days learning to drive must encompass more than how to use a gas pedal and steering wheel. Earning your license must also mean earning the trust of those you will share the road with. This is why it is so important to be well educated about the rules of the road, the vehicle being operated, and the responsibility that comes with freedom- because if the driver does not, the consequences will be lethal. This is especially true for teenagers because the fact that young people do not always have the experience necessary to be skilled drivers combined with the lack of understanding of the responsibility of driving has caused thousands of accidents. Proper education can help facilitate that understanding and therefore save lives.
Driving is usually an entirely new experience for many teenagers, including myself. Never before have they not only held the lives of their family members in their hands, but also the lives of complete strangers. It is daunting for many, and this anxiety, along with other stressors in their individual life, can be a distraction. The sudden pressure of the costs that come with driving, the fact that this causes many to be thrust into the workforce, and the background of school and personal life can not only be a distraction on its own, but cause other distractions as well. Many teenagers escape their stress with substance abuse like drinking and vaping. The consequences of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol are well known, especially for those who have experienced its perils. However, many distractions for teens can seem much more innocent- even just driving with other teenage friends can increase the danger of being on the road. There is one item, however, that rules over the minds of the driving youth- the cellphone. Whenever a phone is immediately accessible to a driving teenager in the car, they are automatically tempted to reply in a text, check social media, view shortform content videos, or even just browse for music to listen to. Even though many claim that they only participate in this activity while waiting for a red light to turn green, this could happen anywhere under the right circumstances. There is an easy way to solve this problem and that is to instill in the youth the understanding that even their smallest actions, like viewing a notification, can lead to the largest consequences that exist.
I was the first of many of my friends to get a driver's license and a car. I give rides home to my friends on a daily basis and I truly do not mind since I prefer not to drive alone, anyway. Being responsible for the lives of my dearest friends has taught me a lot, and I have learned quite a few lessons not only about driving with teenagers but driving as one. My friends and I love to talk, and when we are alone in the car, it is easy to get lost in a good conversation. However, I have learned that it is wise to ask for quiet when I find chatter distracting. Especially since many of my friends do not drive yet, they do not always understand when driving requires more concentration than usual. I have also had to learn how to ask for and receive quick directions when discovering a new route, and learning that the GPS is usually, but not always, my best friend. The most important skill I have built in my driving experience is to think quickly and stay calm. Once, when my friends started screaming because they found a spider in my car, but could not articulate why, I had to stay calm. I focused on the task at hand, driving, and calmly but firmly asked what was going on. Another time I had to keep my focus and act on my feet was when I witnessed a small accident directly in front of me in a busy street. Luckily, my car was going very slowly so it was easy to smoothly reroute and continue the drive. These are all firsts I have had with multiple teenagers, including myself, in the car. Although they are all important experiences, they should only be given to those responsible enough to handle them.
The way I learned driving responsibility was in Health Class. Through stories and documentaries, I saw what it was like for driving to ruin and end lives. In fact, I think my school did a fantastic job at scaring me into understanding the risks of driving. It was not hard to do, since I am an anxious person, however I believe every teenager could benefit with a small amount of fear of the road. Schools should individually assess students on their anxiety levels when it comes to driving and then teach them in accordance with their fear. I know for a fact that some of my friends with even more anxiety than myself do not need a reminder of the risks, since fear keeps many teenagers from driving. However, if schools or parents understand how each teenager feels about the road, they can more easily impart lessons to its benefits and dangers. They can also help their children create safer streets and highways not only for themselves, but everyone they share these roads with.