The foul odor of carbon monoxide spewing from loud, obnoxious car engines is a simple yet oddly nostalgic sensation that all Long Islanders know too well. Horns honking, people yelling, police sirens echoing through the air—this chaotic symphony is inescapable. Whether you're on your way to work or heading to visit family, the traffic never ever lets up.
I remember hearing the saying, "Traffic is to driving what apple pie is to America—you can't have one without the other," and I couldn't agree more. I learned this lesson early in life during trips to visit my uncle with my family. The journey on and off Long Island was always long and unpredictable—sometimes it took two hours, other times eight. But despite the frustration, we made those trips because we loved each other and cherished the time we spent together.
After a while, it becomes increasingly clear that the roadways—especially around dense urban cities—are becoming more dangerous, particularly and especially for new drivers who are just learning how to drive in these areas or anywhere for that regard. It becomes quite literally a life-or-death situation, where you're forced to make split-second decisions on twists and turns while surrounded by traffic going 80 miles per hour, with your only shield being your hands on the steering wheel. It's imperative for drivers—especially in this day and age, with so many distractions—to focus up when driving!
We are absolutely addicted and glued to our phones—not just teenagers, but adults too. But for the most part, it's teenagers who grew up with this technology and rely on it every day for communication, travel, and work. Unfortunately, it becomes so much of a problem that one little notification from Snapchat could lead to a head-on collision. Cell phone use has caused roughly 12% of all accidents resulting in death. Obviously, technology has become so embedded in our lives that letting it go entirely would be near impossible. However, by simply limiting its use while on the roadways, who knows how many lives could be saved?
I make stupid decisions—I know, I admit it. I'm only 19 years of age, and my prefrontal cortex hasn't fully developed. The same applies to the rest of the teenage population. Every day when I drive to work, I see teenagers my age speeding down the highway going 100 miles per hour, putting lives at risk. I believe this, combined with a lack of experience, is probably the most likely cause of traffic collisions. Teenagers are just wired to make irrational decisions in their lives.
Our very lives should be the obvious priority over a text message! Modern-day driver's education usually takes place during our junior or senior year of high school. At that point in our lives, we've already embedded technology into our routines to such an extent that the lessons taught in driver’s ed may seem extreme or unnecessary to many teenagers. My personal recommendation to combat this would be to enact driver's education at a younger age—not by putting anyone behind the wheel, of course, but through a theory-based course. Kids, perhaps in elementary school, could learn about the dangers of distracted driving and how smartphones should never be used behind the wheel. The most important idea is to focus on driving—and nothing more!
As technology progresses toward fully autonomous driving, the fear of collisions enters a gray area, where we begin to question whether worrying about accidents in the future will even be necessary. But I still firmly believe that, despite advancements in autonomous vehicles and our increasing dependency on them, teens behind the wheel should always remain aware of everything happening around them. In the end our lives are still at stake, and quite frankly; I'm not sure people feel 100% comfortable putting their lives in the hands of an artificial intelligence driven vehicle.
Nothing but a few inches of aluminum plating protect us in our vehicles—something easily penetrable. Our lives are fragile, and we need to do whatever it takes to protect ourselves on the roadways, and wherever else we travel in our cars. In the end, these are a couple of tons of metal rolling down the road at extremely high speeds. If we are not careful, the end could come at any moment—when we least expect it. We need to do everything we can to keep ourselves safe and aware when we're on the road. By not making bad decisions, staying alert, and keeping our cool, we strengthen our safety. With enough practice, we can master these habits—and protect both ourselves and others.
I remember hearing the saying, "Traffic is to driving what apple pie is to America—you can't have one without the other," and I couldn't agree more. I learned this lesson early in life during trips to visit my uncle with my family. The journey on and off Long Island was always long and unpredictable—sometimes it took two hours, other times eight. But despite the frustration, we made those trips because we loved each other and cherished the time we spent together.
After a while, it becomes increasingly clear that the roadways—especially around dense urban cities—are becoming more dangerous, particularly and especially for new drivers who are just learning how to drive in these areas or anywhere for that regard. It becomes quite literally a life-or-death situation, where you're forced to make split-second decisions on twists and turns while surrounded by traffic going 80 miles per hour, with your only shield being your hands on the steering wheel. It's imperative for drivers—especially in this day and age, with so many distractions—to focus up when driving!
We are absolutely addicted and glued to our phones—not just teenagers, but adults too. But for the most part, it's teenagers who grew up with this technology and rely on it every day for communication, travel, and work. Unfortunately, it becomes so much of a problem that one little notification from Snapchat could lead to a head-on collision. Cell phone use has caused roughly 12% of all accidents resulting in death. Obviously, technology has become so embedded in our lives that letting it go entirely would be near impossible. However, by simply limiting its use while on the roadways, who knows how many lives could be saved?
I make stupid decisions—I know, I admit it. I'm only 19 years of age, and my prefrontal cortex hasn't fully developed. The same applies to the rest of the teenage population. Every day when I drive to work, I see teenagers my age speeding down the highway going 100 miles per hour, putting lives at risk. I believe this, combined with a lack of experience, is probably the most likely cause of traffic collisions. Teenagers are just wired to make irrational decisions in their lives.
Our very lives should be the obvious priority over a text message! Modern-day driver's education usually takes place during our junior or senior year of high school. At that point in our lives, we've already embedded technology into our routines to such an extent that the lessons taught in driver’s ed may seem extreme or unnecessary to many teenagers. My personal recommendation to combat this would be to enact driver's education at a younger age—not by putting anyone behind the wheel, of course, but through a theory-based course. Kids, perhaps in elementary school, could learn about the dangers of distracted driving and how smartphones should never be used behind the wheel. The most important idea is to focus on driving—and nothing more!
As technology progresses toward fully autonomous driving, the fear of collisions enters a gray area, where we begin to question whether worrying about accidents in the future will even be necessary. But I still firmly believe that, despite advancements in autonomous vehicles and our increasing dependency on them, teens behind the wheel should always remain aware of everything happening around them. In the end our lives are still at stake, and quite frankly; I'm not sure people feel 100% comfortable putting their lives in the hands of an artificial intelligence driven vehicle.
Nothing but a few inches of aluminum plating protect us in our vehicles—something easily penetrable. Our lives are fragile, and we need to do whatever it takes to protect ourselves on the roadways, and wherever else we travel in our cars. In the end, these are a couple of tons of metal rolling down the road at extremely high speeds. If we are not careful, the end could come at any moment—when we least expect it. We need to do everything we can to keep ourselves safe and aware when we're on the road. By not making bad decisions, staying alert, and keeping our cool, we strengthen our safety. With enough practice, we can master these habits—and protect both ourselves and others.
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Bridging Fear with Responsibility: A Reflection on Teen Driver Safety
Michael Beck
