“I’m terrified to drive” is a phrase I’ve heard quite a few times, but never quite understood. “Everyone drives” I think, “how could you be afraid?” What I understood was the importance of the privilege to drive. What I didn’t understand was the dangers of driving. Getting to school, work, the grocery store, and the gym all require driving in a spread out city such as Virginia Beach, so I knew it was something I would learn to do. Educating yourself and loved ones on drivers safety is crucial in a city where driving is heavily relied on. However, I was unaware that I could be affected by the “foreign” statistics and numbers of injuries and fatalities caused by driving and it took a wake up call to understand the importance of safe driving.

It started off as a normal school day in March. Just another day, a rainy, brisk spring day. I would go to school, complete my homework and daily tasks, then go to bed. I thought it was weird when I got a text from my sister that “something was going on”. I knew something was up when I stepped into my front door and my family, usually scattered around the house or city was sitting quietly around the living room. Even my moms youngest brother from Indiana was over for the day. I look around and wonder where Uncle Ray is… “is he busy?” Everyone looks heartbroken, faces turned towards the carpet. “It happened quickly.”

Uncle Ray was hit and run on his way to work on March 3, 2024. He was t-boned by a lady who wasn’t paying attention driving at 65 mph. It wasn’t his fault. If she wouldn’t have been on her phone she would’ve had the time to react. Who or what is to blame? Carelessness? Miseducation? I will never know exactly what happened or how, all I can do is to ensure that I educate myself and loved ones on drivers safety. Reckless driving not only puts you at risk, but those in the car and nearby vehicles around you. A bad accident effects everyone involved aswell as their friends and family. I had heard the stories of car accidents and fatalities but never experiencing it kept me in denial about the danger of a moving vehicle. I finally understood why the laws regarding driver safety were so important.

Learning about drivers safety became invaluable to me. My school, Landstown Highschool, provides drivers education for all students. This is crucial as young drivers have a significantly higher crash rate per mile than older drivers. Driving takes time, focus, and education to master. Teen drivers are faced with many distractions such as phones and other passengers, and the lack of experience on the road amplifies the effects. It is important for teens to spend ample time driving with a trusted adult to learn the ways of the road. Once they get their license it is also important to spend time driving alone, without the distraction of another passenger in the car. Overtime, with more experience, responsible passengers may join them on their driving endeavors.

Drivers education provides teens with technical understanding of the road. It is important for teens to be educated in drivers safety as their performance when driving is crucial to the road around them. Taking a drivers education class allows teens to learn about the laws and rules of the road in a community of other teens. This keeps them motivated and holds them accountable for learning safe driving. To promote safe driving, schools can provide teen with this valuable resource. The next step in the process is taking a week long drivers education course. A permitted driver who has taken and passed a drivers education course will time on the road with a certified instructor. After the week of driving, they will take a license test which includes DMV administered rules. Once they receive their license it is important to continue to promote safe driving. Passengers of a new licensed driver should have an understanding of the rules of the road. Working together to ensure the rules are followed increases the safety of both the driver and passenger.

The amount of injury causing accidents aren’t only a statistic to look out for. There are real people affected by the consequences of unsafe driving daily. Don’t wait until you are one of them to educate yourself and those around you on the importance of safe driving. It took experiencing the death of my uncle to realize the implications of careless driving. As teens it is important for us to look out for each other and encourage good driving habits.