Safe Driving Practices for Teenagers

In some instances, when youth use poor judgement or make rational decisions, the consequences can provide valuable life lessons. However, poor choices in regard to operating a vehicle oftentimes end in serious injury or death. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers aged 16 to 19 are the most likely to be involved in a fatal crash. There are a number of factors that explain this poor safety prediction; however, I believe distracted driving is the primary factor contributing to these statistics. With technology on the rise, people, particularly young adults, are finding it increasingly difficult to refrain from using, and even glancing at their cell phone. Second, many young adults and teenagers enjoy cruising the road together. While it may seem like harmless fun, it presents multiple dangerous and life threatening distractions. Finally, young drivers tend to regard driving laws as a “joke” or do not take them seriously. As overwhelming as this information may be, there are precautions that every teenager can implement to ensure their chances of an accident are reduced: gaining experience, avoiding distractions, and abiding by the law.

The first step to implementing these practices is to gain as much experience as possible. This step starts even before obtaining a drivers’ license, with a driving permit. Full advantage should be taken of the permit. While it may seem as though driving so often so soon can be dangerous, it is actually quite beneficial. The more experience a teenager gains driving, the more confident they will be when faced with certain situations. It is recommended to start small with basic skills, and then build up to more difficult scenarios, such as driving at night, in the rain, or in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Drivers ed programs are also a safe way to get the most out of the driver’s permit, with each student obtaining at least six hours of on-the-road training and private instruction. While there are a number of ways to exercise safe driving habits, the root of these habits is practice, and there is no substitute for experience.

Even after teenagers actually have a driver’s license, they are still in the process of learning how to be a safe driver. The best habits a driver can make strongly revolve around avoiding distractions. Although everyone is susceptible to getting distracted on the road, new drivers are especially vulnerable. A teenagers life revolves around hanging out with friends, and what better way to do this than cruising the road, listening to music, and maybe grabbing something to eat on the way? These activities sound completely harmless, but to a new driver, it could not be more dangerous. Changing the music on the radio or phone, laughing with friends, and eating and drinking on the road are all actions that require attention from the driver, which usually means the driver’s attention is not devoted entirely to the road. By putting our phone out of sight, limiting the number of passengers in the vehicle, and avoiding food and drinks while driving, teenagers can further decrease the chances of being involved in an accident. It is also best not to drive when overly emotional; the driver should let a friend or parent know that they should drive instead. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving claimed 3,166 lives in 2017 in America alone. The numbers do not lie; distracted driving claims lives, but nearly all of the deathly distractions can be avoided.

The third and final way to implement safe driving practices is by simply abiding by the laws that have been formed to protect drivers. It is important to follow all of the basic laws that have been made, including speed, texting, and seat belt laws. However, teenagers also have special laws that have been formed with them in mind. For example, drivers that have owned a license for less than six months are prohibited from driving at night, specifically at midnight and early morning hours. By following this law, young drivers are protected from being put in situations that traveling at that time of night could present. Furthermore, in most states, new drivers are limited to the amount of passengers that they can carry, depending on the amount of time the driver has had a license. As stated earlier, passengers can be a great distraction, and the obedience of this law will prevent this distraction from occurring. More laws centered around distracted driving prohibit the use of alcohol, drugs, and cell phone use. It is crucial to consider all of these laws, and the effects that disobedience in regard to them could cause.

Driving has always been a critical danger to every person on the road. New drivers tend to be the most prone to making mistakes that cause the continuous danger. Though these new drivers will always pose a threat to the public, they can reduce the amount of danger they are presenting by practicing safe driving habits, especially attaining an accumulated amount of experience, limiting distractions, and abiding by driving laws. The vehicle accidents that have brought death and injury to people for ages can only be limited when drivers, especially young drivers, incorporate healthy changes into everyday life.