Teen drivers share a common trait in my experience, the feeling of invincibility/ Whether they think they are a racecar driver like its the daytona 500, or weave in and out of traffic like those people we see on social media, maybe even just as simple as not using turn signal when switching lanes on the freeway. Most teenagers don't realize the power they hold in the palms of their hands, and that causes injuries and death every single day.
Kentucky isn’t a state that requires Drivers Education, but my school was different, each senior was required to take a driving course, for free. It's quick, easy, and taught by an experienced state trooper who’s seen more fatal and near fatal accidents than a majority of people. He used his experiences to guide and teach us what it meant to be a good driver and a cautious driver. That class was on a personal level, it gave each of us the information and knowledge to be the best drivers we could be.

The biggest problems teen drivers face every day change constantly, whether it may be peer pressure, lack of experience, influence, or even the smallest distractions. It could very well be a squirrel that you see while driving down the road, it could be a friend calling you, or discovering the challenge of driving on a slick road.
Some things I’ve learned to do while driving that I feel could really help most teen drivers to keep away from any issues is focusing on what lies in front of me, scanning carefully. Keeping your phone on silent and out of sight, and if your going to listen to music, keeping the playlist you picked before you started moving on a low volume and not trying to change it while driving, as well as keeping your friends in check before you even start the car, we're responsible for them.

When I was 5, my mother died in a fatal accident with a box truck on the way home from the pharmacy. She was 33 years old, leaving my grandparents, aunts and uncles, my father, my sister and I. She was less than 4 miles from home and was killed immediately, which brings me to another point.
An extremely dangerous habit that I’ve seen many of my friends, and even what I’ve done, is getting too comfortable. We get close to home and seem to lose all focus, reaching for our phones, checking our teeth in the mirror, turning down the music and purely just going off of instinct. I’m sure everyone has done it but it's unbelievably dangerous.
Just about a year ago now a friend of mine, mikey, was struck in the rear by a distracted off duty police officer while driving down the road, just 3 miles from his house. I don't know why it's such a difficult concept for people. Focus, its the only thing keeping lives safe on the road, it's already dangerous enough driving a 3000 pound vehicle and upwards of 70mph.

Everyone is responsible for driving safely, it's not a “that guy doesn’t know how to drive,” kind of situation, each of us is responsible for making the roads safe. As I’ve mentioned before, my school required its seniors to attend a driving class, which has probably saved at least a couple lives. Each school should have strict rules when it comes to its students being able to drive, having disciplinary actions for tickets, only allowing students to drive to school when they pass a driving test. Teachers setting good examples, theres so much that needs to be done as children and schools are the perfect place to learn these things.
My community has done a good job recently for calling people out for bad driving. We had what most people referred to as the “Light 22 curse” so many accidents at the same intersection had people seriously questioning their own driving and being more aware of others’. Publicising accidents and holding others and yourself accountable for accidents and driving ability is a wonderful start.
Most importantly, Us as teens have so much power at the wheel. Death, injury, even higher insurance premiums. We have to slow down, we have to focus, we have to be aware of other drivers. Death is not some silly little topic that only happens to some people. It tears families apart and hurts so many people. We have to stay sober, we have to drive like we want to live.