Teenagers as young as 15 are handed the keys to 4,000-pound machines capable of reaching 130 miles per hour—machines with the power to kill. At an age when they are still exploring newfound freedoms and responsibilities, we expect them to operate these vehicles with precision and maturity. But how are they supposed to know how to handle that kind of responsibility?
Driving is a part of life as we know it. We cannot keep teens off the road, nor should we. Learning to drive safely and responsibly is a necessary step toward independence. Teens must be taught how to make driving a safe and effective part of their everyday life. That way, sooner rather than later, they are efficient and safe drivers. That being said, teenage driving needs to be treated with greater seriousness. Every time an inexperienced driver gets behind a wheel, lives are at stake.
The statistics are staggering: in the U.S., a car crash happens every 13 minutes. Globally, road traffic accidents claim 1.19 million lives a year, according to the World Health Organization. And yet, teens, whose brains are still developing, often hit the road with minimal training. When I first thought about getting my license, I imagined driver's education would be a comprehensive, even intense experience that would fully prepare me for the road. But the reality felt underwhelming. We mostly learned about obscure hand signals I’ve never seen used in real life. Meanwhile, basic strategies for real-world driving—such as how to be prepared for anything that may come your way, how to anticipate others' actions and act accordingly, and how to use situational awareness—received little attention.
Something we learned in drivers ed that I am very grateful we went in depth on, even though it may be considered taboo, is driving under the influence. My teacher shared real world experiences of students she had in her years of teaching and how drugs and alcohol had affected them. Hearing real world scenarios and the dangers of driving under the influence impacted me in a way I will never forget. We also had the chance to try alcohol-impairment simulation goggles, which gave us a visceral understanding of how substances impair reaction time and coordination. Lastly, during my junior year of high school while most students were close to getting or had licenses, they brought in a speaker who had been in a car accident himself and survived but it changed his life forever. He was nearly killed by a drunk driver. This story was so impactful and hearing it from a survivor himself made the dangers of driving so much more powerful, changing the perspective of my peers and I forever.
While that was all very helpful, I realized we were mostly just preparing to pass the drivers ed test which in my personal opinion, if someone passes it, is not a true representation of if someone should be on the road or not. There are so many other questions I didn't even know I had and didn't get answered because I was so clueless about driving. That is another very important factor when considering teaching kids how to drive: they might not be able to ask the right questions because they know absolutely nothing and don't know what to ask, so it's important to teach them anything and everything.
On top of inadequate training, teens face daily temptations that make safe driving harder than ever. Phones are designed for humans to be attached to them. Small amounts of dopamine are released when we pick up our phones. Our brains become addicted to that surge of dopamine and we become trained to pick up our phones even if it's for seemingly no reason. This makes phones fundamentally hard to resist. This gravitational pull towards phones doesn't just dissipate when someone is driving. Phones are such a prevalent distraction because they are right there, hard to resist, and ready to distract you. I've personally heard many people I know say something along the lines of "I'm a good driver so I can go on my phone while driving.” It's scary to me how many people think this way. This mindset shows up in many forms of preventable danger behind the wheel. People who speed above the speed limit create a false sense of security by saying to themselves “that won't happen to me.” But that's just the thing—you never know when it could be you or someone you love. That is why driving safety is so crucial. Everyone thinks it would never happen to them, but the truth of this universe is you truly never know. You could do everything right and something terrible could still happen. That is why it is so crucial to do everything in your power to limit distractions and avoid reckless behavior, because things that seem harmless aren't as harmless as they might seem.
But understanding the risks is only the first step. What can we actually do? I overcome these challenges by always keeping my phone out of reach while I'm driving. If I get a really important notification it will come up on my dashboard screen and in most cases it is more dangerous to check a notification on my phone than to not check it. I also always drive as close to within the speed limit as I can. Many people my age express how much fun they think speeding is but I find it to be quite the opposite. I choose to stay mindful and be conscious of my fear and anxiety around driving and use it as awareness. There is nothing fun about putting your own life and the lives of others in danger.
Growing up I had a lot of anxiety: specifically about my family members or I getting hurt or dying. When I saw my mom get into various car accidents throughout her life when she was commuting to her job as a school teacher in Staten Island, it made me develop subconscious fears regarding the road. Those crashes weren’t just statistics to me—they were real, terrifying moments that made me fear for my loved ones' lives. They planted seeds of anxiety that still shape how seriously I take driving today.
Although this may sound scary or overwhelming, it doesn't have to be. Teens, schools and communities can all work to promote safer driving among young people through intentional, actionable steps. Teens can pledge to not use their phones while driving, be aware of peer pressure and avoid it and also make sure they are not pressuring anyone else around them to do something dangerous, and abandon the “it won't happen to me” mindset. Schools can make driver safety relatable and real for students by bringing in speakers who have been affected by reckless driving, make sure the curriculum is teaching students what they really need to be good drivers and know everything they need to know, and offer optional defensive driving add-ons. Overall by making it engaging and emotional, there will be a big difference in the way youth view driving. Finally, communities can encourage parents to role model safe driving and support teen driving courses. Driving may be a rite of passage, but it’s also a matter of life and death. By educating ourselves and each other, we can turn fear into responsibility, and responsibility into safety. Not just for ourselves, but for everyone we share the road with.