My Goal & Tips for Road Safety in Georgia and beyond I-95

 In 2024, 1307 Georgians were killed in car crashes, with more cell phones, distractions, and more drivers, that number jumped to over 1500 one year later, in 2025 (Georgia Department of Transportation, 2025).  Thousands of people are moving through each city on a daily basis and driver education programs can help to reduce the incidence of distracted driving, angry driving, and ultimately accidents.  Brand new and inexperienced drivers often lack hazard detection skills like more experienced driver and if distracted, can lead to a slower reaction and potentially an accident. Driver education is one of the best ways to lower the number of road fatalities as most accidents are caused by human error, not paying attention, or distraction.  Drivers who speed, text, dart in and out of lanes with no signals  and drive under the influence are easily preventable.

 My own journey behind the wheel, guided by my father, a retired veteran whose cautious approach instilled in me the profound need for focus, has deeply informed my understanding of safety and driving and watching others in defensive driving.  Defensive driving is just as important as offensive driving as I monitor my own speed and traffic rules on the road. I am careful to look out the rearview mirror every so often and use signals for all turns and lane changes. I also keep a car distance away from drivers in front of me. I pay attention to motorcyclists and stay a good distance for both of our safety.  I pay attention to 18-wheelers who are not always paying attention to us and have blind spots many drivers over look.   On a drive to South Carolina, I was driving on a highway and a large commercial truck moved over 2 lanes with no signal and clear blind spots. As soon a I saw the driver move over one lane and continue with the direction of going left, I slowed down to ensure I was not cut off avoiding a potential collision.

My father has driven military vehicles and always shared safety checks and tips when driving.   His Nissan Titan which is likely to be my college vehicle (pending on grades, of course) has been the vehicle I drive practice and develop my skills.  My mother has a habit of keeping her phone in her purse and her purse in the trunk of her car.  She has shared, “Whomever or whatever it is,  it is not worth a ticket and higher insurance.”  When driving my goal is not to just get from point A to point B but to be a diligent and careful driver on the road. 

Each state says they have the worst drivers. Georgia is no exception and we have lost teen lives in the Liberty County area for various reasons. Teens can take action with obvious choices such as paying attention, staying off the phone, and not talking to the point of distraction the whole trip to the store, school, or shopping and resist the urge to multi-task while driving a vehicle. I have a friend who drives and he is very good at staying off his phone and will hand it to me to silence or read a message if it seems important. Teens can help each other by doing this and reading, if important, or suggest waiting until stopped to read to your driving friend.

Schools can help with increasing formal driver education focused upon safety. Simulated driving is a concept I have seen in colleges, but not in high schools. This could be the different between little experience to more demonstrated driving experiences.   Schools can also have victims of accidents to speak to students about the seriousness of not driving distracted.

The community of organizations, police, and parents need to get involved.  I attended the HPD (Hinesville Police Department) Youth Training a few years ago and the police definitely discussed the ranges of charges for getting caught with a cell phone in your hand, talking on the phone, and how the tickets rate in charges and points on your license.  This should be taught in the schools as well.  

When driving with my own friends, even to run to Walmart to stock up on snacks, I do not want to change how they drive but I want them to be safe as well as myself and other passengers in the car. In the end, promoting safer driving among young people is a shared responsibility that extends beyond just the Teen Driver.

Georgia Department of Transportation. (2025). Crash Data Dashboard: Statewide Traffic Fatalities and Crash Reports (2024). Georgia Department of Transportation & Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety.