Like many things, students- like myself- have been raised to know “good” and “bad” things to do. It is “bad” to bully, smoke or vape, to break the law. And on the other hand, it is “good” to eat vegetables, exercise regularly, and drive responsibly. While teens are still given many restrictions, they are also given so much power - the most dangerous is to put them in front of the wheel. While it can help students access more and take a burden off of parents, it also inadvertently leads them to be able to destroy their life or someone else’s any day and anywhere.
According to the CDC, American teens have the highest motor vehicle crash rate, and have triple the fatality rate during crashes than older subgroup counterparts. Teens are pushed in at all sides to cause this rate, including different factors (that will vary from teen to teen) like alcohol, marijuana, distracted driving from devices or passengers, speeding, and not wearing seatbelts. Another source cites that “One in five 16-year old drivers has an accident in their first year of driving” and that 60% of teen drivers admitted to cell phone usage during driving, while 90% admitted seeing other teens use phones while driving.
It almost seems to be part of the culture- I’ve not driven with a single friend who’s phone wasn’t propped up on a stand with the GPS set up and playing music. I myself, as a teenager driver, find it very helpful to have a car. I use it to drive to both of my jobs, spend time with friends, and get groceries for the family or help drive during trips with my family. I feel responsible enough to drive, and do not partake in any substances so feel safe from all these statistics. However, I do sometimes find my phone distracting me- to change the music, the GPS, or reply to quick texts is so tempting. Having grown up in a digital age, I find it second nature- I’m able to type with one hand without looking at my screen, and feel like I can multitask. However, I know the statistics and dangers- it just always seems like “it would never happen to me.”
With different distractions, there are different ways to handle each issue faced by teenage drivers. I know for drinking and driving, it does not seem uncommon - I’ve known many parties happen within my town, and I can’t imagine students having their parents pick them up past midnight and after drinking. I believe having local police forces out late at night to check for younger drivers that are out past curfew or past their drinking limit would promote students' awareness of being caught and the serious repercussions, which may reduce that action. For distractions, there are a few solutions I can think of- the first being continued driving education. When I learned to drive, I remember all the videos of families with lost loved ones was so jarring to me- and brought me to be very cautious on the roads. I haven’t thought of those videos until writing this essay- I’d be curious how a reminder course annually during teen years would promote driver safety and awareness. Second, there are multiple programs I’ve looked into which decrease car insurance rates if drivers are more safe - their driving is tracked by time, speed, and other factors, then calculated. With a monetary incentive, who wouldn’t be more tempted to drive safer? Last, there are different apps and uses on phones that can be activated to block phone usage during driving (Drivemode, LifeSaver, and OnMyWay, etc.) to promote safer, less distracted drivers. And while it is difficult, a reminder from parents and peers (especially from other students- that will mean the most to hear as a teenager!) to set up the playlist and map before driving, and to finish text convos before starting the engine, would benefit some teens who struggle with cell phone use while driving.
Implementing these strategies and others within communities, and if not at a community level to do so within school club’s advocacy or parents' influence, would considerably increase awareness within communities for teen driving. And these are the few ideas I was able to come up with on my own- think what multiple students could come up with, if there was a group put together at a school to promote safer driving! Driving safe, smart, and distraction free is the way to go- the way to build strong habits early on for teen drivers, and potentially save lives!



Sources hyperlinked below:
https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/risk-factors/index.html
https://www.boulderdefenseattorney.com/teen-driving-statistics/