Last year at around midnight, there was a head-on collision just down the road from my house in early March. I remember reading posts about this accident; that the car was filled with a group of teen boys who tried to pass a car who was going under the speed limit, and hit another car head on. Where they passed was not only illegal, but was near a hill with no visibility. I called my younger brothers to make sure they were okay the second I saw the news. And on the Sunday after this incident, I attended my regular church and noticed the front row of teenage boys had disappeared. Two of them were admitted to the hospital for broken ribs, cuts needing stitches, and one was driven downstate for facial reconstruction surgery, as well as multiple broken bones. The church prayed extra loud that day, and so did I.
Impatient drivers consume lives, and it seems that young drivers continue to be on the receiving end of this. Whether it’s the need to open a phone or pass someone when it's unsafe, the result stays the same. When my friends from church passed the vehicle going too slow for their liking, I’m sure the back, and passenger seat was egging the driver to pass. While alcohol wasn’t a factor, the music was loud and I’m sure they thought no one was coming as it was pretty late at night. Distractions and peer pressure continue to play a role in these fatal accidents for teens as it did that night. These teens are given lessons on traffic laws rather than the idea of patience or factors that hinder driving inside the vehicle. The impatient attitude that 5 mph is a life or death difference of speed is heinous, and a recurring feeling amongst teen drivers. To overcome this, and gain patience whilst driving, drivers must not succumb to peer pressure. Take a breath, accept the 5-10 minute tardiness at a slower pace, and sit until it’s safe to pass. Maybe relaxing at this moment means turning up the radio, and focusing on the music rather than the driver taking their time. Silence the phone before turning the key and keep it flipped over until park. Instead of listening to the backseat and passengers complain, change the topic of conversation. Instead of checking a notification on the phone, wait until it’s safe to do so. Patience is acknowledging that obeying traffic rules is far more important than being late or “cool.”
Instead of obvious signage and signals that fill driver’s education, it would benefit young drivers to have lessons incorporating statistics. Those that highlight chances of accidents with music, an open phone, other people in the vehicle, or alcohol. Percentages of impatient driver’s that forget or fail to obey traffic laws. An appeal to emotion might quiet the room full of rambunctious teenagers who were forced to take another class. A break in the repeated traffic lessons might prove memorable for the students as well. While knowing what to do at a stop sign is clearly important, risk mitigation and management can be just as life saving. What to do when a driver cuts one off, when a driver is slower than the speed limit, when to look at a notification, or what to do when the entire back seat of the vehicle is ordering directions are realistic situations that need discussion. This carelessness amongst younger drivers needs to come to an end, and with a few extra lessons in drivers ed, it may drop the curve in fatalities.
Patience and attentiveness is an issue that can only realistically be solved by the driver themself. As for others, being aware that young drivers may have the opposing attitude is the first step. As well as following traffic laws to not ‘set off’ young drivers, can aid to vehicle safety. On a larger level, schools would benefit from assemblies regarding safe driving. Just like the addition to drivers education, a conversation about accidents caused by peer pressure and road rage would be valuable. Students tend to remember the more serious conversations rather than lectures. As far as passengers and other teens in the vehicle, being respectful to the driver and acknowledging traffic laws even when not behind the wheel, is crucial. Recognizing simple mistakes are truly life and death may stop the carelessness from passengers.
It took a good amount of Sunday services before I saw the front row filled again. We thanked God that nobody had lost their life that day, though they had come close. I know many have lost their lives in similar accidents from foolish decisions. Those teens were taught much more patience from that accident, than the sermon ever could. As for the rest of the church family, we all received a testament to safe driving, and having patience behind the wheel. We recognized the importance of risk management for younger drivers and the effects of peer pressure. To level the slope of deaths due to this issue, the impatient attitude needs to be identified within drivers education and the school system. As well as making the community aware of it. As for us all, maybe we can pray a little louder for this regard.