Drive Like Your Life Depends On It

By Samera Shim

Driving is more than a normal part of every American teenager’s life - it’s a rite of passage. It’s the transition to freedom and the abolishment of asking your parents for rides. It becomes such a habitual everyday occurrence, and once anyone gets the hang out it, they start to loosen up. “I’m a good driver, I don’t need to pay attention.” “I only drive short distances when I’m intoxicated.” “I only text at red lights or stop signs.” “I only use my phone to change the music when I drive.” One text turns into two, two drinks turn into four. People learn about the importance of driving with full awareness, but they don’t understand the consequences until irreversible damage occurs. 

Driver’s ed is one of the most important steps in order to get on the road and drive among other people. But people, and teens more specifically, don’t consider they’re driving a vehicle capable of severely hurting or killing someone or themselves. I don’t know anyone who watched the safety videos during online drivers ed or properly reviewed the units like it was requested. But what teens are failing to realize is that these videos contain information that could alter your life, protect you in a time of need, and show the true consequences of what irresponsibility can bring.

These videos, these reviews, they aren’t put there for the sake of filling time. They’re put there in an attempt to minimize the sheer number of tragedies that happen on the road each year. 34,000 people, on average, lose their lives on the roads each year. But why isn’t learning defensive driving a priority for many teens? The price of looking “cool for speeding” could cost more than you could ever imagine. It could cost a life.

However, teenagers should be able to learn in a more effective way. Showing long videos regarding car accidents or being a safe driver don’t hold the attention of teens. I believe an effective method of learning about safe driving would be by utilizing the platform so many teens, myself included, are glued to. Social media. There’s so much potential of social media campaigns, or even just paid ads that are shown as teens scroll through their feeds. Interactive hashtags to tell stories about car accidents, or how defensive driving saved their lives in one way or another. 

After seeing my peers get in largely damaging, but thankfully not fatal car accident, the importance of education grows stronger. Reiterating safe driving techniques, teaching the importance of not driving under the influence/getting into a car with someone under the influence, and showing that even the habit of texting only at a red light can be detrimental is of the utmost preeminence of this generation. Through practicing safe driving myself, I can show others that the annoyance of driving the speed limit and driving without distractions is much more preferred over death. By educating the masses, you can minimize the massacre.