Teen driving safety is a very important public issue because of the high rate of traffic incidents that were caused by them. Teen drivers are much more likely to get into car crashes compared to the experienced drivers. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), “In 2023, teenagers accounted for 7% of motor vehicle crash deaths,” which is alarming because only 3.7 percent of licensed drivers in the US are teen drivers. The disappointing part is these incidents were actually preventable. The main reason that teens get into more car crashes is the lack of experience and knowledge. If they were given a proper education about this subject, this percentage could’ve been much smaller.

Driver’s education plays an important role in addressing these issues. Every new driver should be required to participate in a certified driver’s education program before getting their license. Driver’s education offers new drivers knowledge on how to navigate safely on the road. They go through many lessons, which cover different topics such as safe driving techniques, traffic laws and regulations, how to operate a vehicle properly, and how to avoid distracted driving habits. Most driving education programs show footage of real incidents that have occurred because of unsafe driving practices. This helps the students to understand the seriousness of driving a vehicle and the danger they put their lives in if they don't follow safe driving habits. Personally, I hope the driver's education could be more affordable so everyone would be able to participate in it. The reason why some new drivers might try to skip driver's education is that it’s expensive and they can’t afford it. If the low-income families could receive a subsidy on driver’s education programs, I think the participation rate would likely be higher.

There are many challenges teen drivers face today. The most common one would be the lack of experience. When a person is new to the road, it’s going to be difficult for them to quickly react to the potential road hazards that may appear. The longer a person uses a vehicle, the more comfortable they’re going to be with it. So for an inexperienced new driver who just started using a vehicle, it might get really difficult for them to control the vehicle properly. This could lead to a lot of accidents. The acceleration pedal requires a lot of control, because if someone presses it slightly higher, it could lead to a hazardous situation. There was a time when I accidentally pressed the acceleration pedal instead of the brake pedal when I wanted to stop the car. Gladly nothing happened to me because it wasn’t a main road with heavy traffic flow. So I assume there might be others who have made the same mistake as me. Controlling the steering properly also requires a lot of experience. I’m still having a hard time driving straight without improperly moving my steering wheel. So if the driver is aware of their difficulties in driving, they need to be more careful. When the vehicle is at high speed, it’s harder to control the steering wheel. So the better option is to drive the vehicle at a speed where the driver is able to control the vehicle properly. When making a turn, it’s important to reduce the speed to at least 15 miles per hour if they’re not excellent in controlling the steering wheel. If there is a red light or stop sign, it is important to slow down from a distance, because it would prevent the driver from abrupt braking. It’s also important to keep a considerable amount of distance between the new driver and the car in front of them because in case the car in front of them suddenly brakes, they will have enough time to stop the car, which can prevent potential accidents.

Teenagers are more likely to be involved in risky driving behaviors because of their eagerness to take an adventure. They would try to go above the speed limit to impress their friends or relatives. According to studies, having a teenage passenger while driving increases the chances of a teen driver getting into a car crash. Teenage drivers are also more likely to be involved in risky behaviors when they’re with friends. They might encourage the driver to speed up or pass other vehicles for fun. They could also make a chaotic environment which could take away the teen driver’s attention from the road. Not paying enough attention to the road can lead to deadly accidents. In order to avoid this, teen drivers need to set boundaries for their friends. It’s okay to say no to something if you know that it can be dangerous. Some teen passengers could encourage dangerous behaviors because they’re not properly educated about the risks. So if the driver is educated about the risks, they need to educate their friends about the importance of safe driving. If the friends still don't take the advice seriously, the most intelligent thing to do is avoid taking those friends in the vehicle, Because nothing should be more valuable to a person than their own life.

Some teenagers are having a hard time paying attention to their surrounding area while driving. Some teenagers have an unhealthy obsession with their cell phones. I have seen plenty of drivers who use their cell phones at traffic lights. Some of them are so reckless that they even use it while actively driving. Using a cell phone is one of the most dangerous things to do while driving because it doesn’t just take away the driver’s attention; it takes away their hands and eyes from the road, which can make them lose control over the vehicle. The road is unpredictable, and incidents can occur suddenly. So the driver should be able to react quickly for such situations. In order to do that, they need to stay away from the distractions that can take their attention away from driving. To avoid this, they can put their phone on “do not disturb mode” while driving to avoid distractions from notifications or calls. Putting the phone somewhere in the car that they can't reach is also a good way to avoid looking at it. Teen drivers should also avoid using any kind of food or drink while driving in order to pay their full attention to the surrounding area.
From my personal experience, one of the most challenging parts about being a young driver is the pressure I get from other drivers around me. I always try to drive according to or below the speed limit. But sometimes some drivers behind would try to make me second-guess my decisions. There was a time when I was driving at the speed limit, and checked the rearview mirror, a car was right behind me. It was way too close to my car. I felt like it was having literal contact with my car. I felt so stressed, so I immediately started speeding up. One time when I was making a left turn on a green light, I had to wait until all the incoming traffic was cleared up because I didn’t want to take a risk while turning. Meanwhile, the car behind me suddenly started honking. I felt so pressured and tried to turn, but gladly my dad was right next to me and told me to not worry about it and only do it when it’s safe to do. I think it’s pretty common for teen drivers to experience things like this. And it’s also normal for them to feel scared or overwhelmed in these types of situations. But it’s important to control these feelings because it can only increase the risk. In these types of situations, teen drivers need to avoid reacting to those aggressive drivers and only focus on their driving.


There are plenty of things that can be done by teens, schools, and communities to promote safer driving among young people. Schools can help this issue by adding driver’s education into the curriculum. This would help the teens to gain proper knowledge about safe driving. They can also host seminars to educate the parents about the importance of promoting safe driving habits among their children. In this way, the parents can also play an important role in helping their child to drive safely without getting into any accidents. Communities can organize campaigns to promote awareness among the people about the importance of safe teen driving. So the experienced drivers can try to be better role models for the young drivers by promoting safe driving practices. They should also advocate for infrastructure improvements in order to provide a safer driving environment for the teen drivers. Teenagers can also play a role in this by practicing safe driving habits. Because no matter how hard the community or the schools try to advocate safe driving among teens, if the teens don't react to them in any way, it’s not going to make a big difference. Teenagers should also try to educate their friends about the importance of driving safely on the road.

About 6 years ago, one of my relatives had to face a severe car crash. She was returning home from work late at night. There was one road where she had to get through and it was very dark. There were no street lights on that road. It had also rained earlier that day so the road was a bit slippery. Nevertheless, she drove on a regular speed because she was rushing home to get some rest. As she was driving forward, another car suddenly appeared on the road. She panicked and lost control over the vehicle. The two cars slammed into each other, shattering parts of the front bumper. She lost her consciousness right at that moment because of the shock and the heavy loss of blood. She was severely injured and had to be hospitalized for weeks. Her spine was damaged the most because of the forceful movements of the body. As a result, she had to undergo a lot of treatments. Fortunately, her life was saved but she still suffers from chronic pains. So driving the vehicle properly is not enough, the drivers also need to pay a lot of attention to the surrounding area. It’s okay to go below the speed limit if there's a potential hazard visible. The best decision is to avoid such dangerous areas at any time.

Driving is not a game. If you think of it as a game, you’re playing a game between life and death. It’s normal for teenage drivers to become super excited when driving. But they should also try to be mindful and prioritize their lives. Teens are the future leaders of this world and they must be protected for a better future.