In the present day, there are few people who can reel in the attention of the average adolescent. The first one being their favorite artist, sometimes their parents, and often their peers (more frequently the opposing gender). Out of those 3, only one of them is generally holding the child’s best interests at heart in terms of safety. Out of the three options their words are the least likely to be heeded by the teenager, and that is the parent. In chasing to be admired by their peers or to be a mirror image of their favorite artist
Aside from having the best outfits, the funniest jokes, or a following on social media, the foolproof way to be favored amongst your peers is to have a car. With its versatility to behave as a vehicle, a hangout spot, or a place of solitude, it checks all the boxes on a teenager’s list of desires. Making it extremely sought after, as a current teenager without a car, it is painfully obvious how difficult it is to keep up with the idea that my friend may be having much more fun than I, just because his car complements all our spontaneous impulses. With it being such a coveted item there are bound to be cases where the steering wheel may be grasped by reckless hands. Being adults of tomorrow who have a 4 times greater tendency toward fatal accidents, we must be informed of the correct way to traverse the road. Furthermore, the majority of the time, teen drivers aren’t the only ones at stake; the friends they carry in tow are also in danger as well. One reckless driver could mean the death of 3-8 people in total, depending on how many passengers are in the vehicle, as well as other vehicles on the road. To avert such a catastrophe, driver’s education plays a preventative role in addressing teen driver safety. Informing people not only how fatal accidents tend to be, but also how easily they are to avoid. Reminding the soon-to-be adults, it is much more enjoyable to get to your destination safely than it is to try and recklessly swerve through traffic.
In the psyche of a teenager, sometimes safety isn’t as great a priority as it should be. To dodge the embarrassment of looking nerdy, scared, or inexperienced, some may choose to ignore the dangerous possibilities the road brings. Distractions are the most fatal instance when it comes to car accidents. According to the AAA Foundation, nearly 58 percent of mild to severe teen collisions are caused due to distractions. Texting and dialing increase the chances dramatically. Contrary to popular belief, cell phones (although the largest) aren’t the only common cause for teen driver collisions. Distractions as a result of the passenger are also significantly responsible for reckless driving incidents. Whether it's to impress a girl or your friend, cutting through lanes like you’re in need 4 speed only increases the chances of you injuring yourself, the passenger, or others that share the road with you. Not the chances the girl from science class likes you.
Personally, a friend of mine who had recently gotten his license decided to to downtown with a group of people to a concert happening in close proximity to the school. I remember we would jab at him, talking about how he couldn’t really drive. He would respond with confident statements like “Watch how I get”, “You just haven’t seen me on the freeway yet” etc. Later that day, long after the concert had concluded, I saw them on campus. They had informed me that on the way back from the concert, my newly licensed friend was going too fast into a turn and ended up flipping the vehicle. Thankfully, nobody was severely injured, other than the exterior of the car.
In Particular, more awareness could be spread by schools and communities, not only telling teens how dangerous careless driving is, but also showing them. Commonly, especially in young adults, many warnings can be mistaken for parents exaggerating or nagging (which sometimes can only be described as such). However, when shown the aftermath of a crash, or how quickly situations can take a turn for the worse (pun intended), the message is easier to receive. As the saying goes, seeing is believing; words can only go so far, especially if they fall on air pod-filled ears. Additionally, increasing the price of speeding tickets for young adults specifically would discourage any Dom Torreto-esque driving. Money often is a teenager's weakness (depending on where you're from).