Earlier this year, my friend and I took a cab to visit a local store in our college town. The driver told us one of his travel stories, exclaiming, “In Ireland, if you get a DUI there, they take away your license forever.” My friend and I were both surprised to learn this fact, but we sympathized with this idea immediately because our campus had recently been disturbed by the loss of a fellow student in a hit-and-run by a local driver. The student body was very upset by the fact that a careless driver could end the life of a student through a selfish and irresponsible act like this. It was documented that the driver was using his phone and was under the influence of drugs. Since hearing the cab driver’s anecdote, the more I agree that measures like the one he mentioned should be implemented in the United States. Each year in the U.S., DUIs and distracted driving cause many deaths and injuries. Possibly most concerning of all, car crash rates are higher for drivers ages 16-19 than any other age group. (CDC.gov) In 2023, 30% of young drivers who were killed in crashes were intoxicated. The way I see it, the most effective solution to prevent the harm of distracted driving is by implementing higher standards to pass driving tests, and hosting restorative justice programs to provide education to prospective drivers.
In comparison to other countries, it is extremely easy to get a license in America, because our drivers’ ed is less comprehensive. For instance, Norway and Austria require mandatory first aid training as a part of drivers’ ed. And in Singapore, you must take two hour-long exams before the road test. One might argue that this is too intense for just a driver’s license. However, it would mean that drivers wouldn’t take their licenses for granted, and would be less likely to risk losing their license by driving under the influence. The rigor of the tests pays off: Norway, Singapore, and Austria are ranked as having within the top 10 best drivers in the world by metrics of car accident deaths and traffic index. Overall, stricter standards to pass drivers’ tests would ensure that drivers have a strong commitment to driving as safely as possible.
The second way to reduce teenage driving accidents is by implementing restorative justice programs in schools to teach kids about the real world impact of car accidents, which would allow them to see and hear from real people who have been involved in distracted driving incidents. Restorative justice is defined by the New York Government as programming that serves to repair harm through a mediated group discussion. This generally includes drivers and victims, allowing them to talk face-to-face. As a result, the driver can understand the tangible harm their actions have caused, and the victim or affected person has the chance to get closure. In 2015, Red Hook Community Justice Center ran the pilot version of its Driver Accountability restorative justice program. Reporting on the group, there's a testimony from Dahlia Goldenberg, who participated in the group as the family member of a victim. “The most important thing for me was that the driver who hit understood the pain he caused and how close he came to taking someone’s life. The drivers who participate in the Driver Accountability Group could be the start of a culture shift in New York.” Schools could host these programs both as a preventative measure, and in the wake of road accidents. Conversations from real life situations would be more effective for teens, because they may have a hard time conceptualizing events they haven’t experienced or witnessed. Rather than fearmongering or lecturing in abstract terms, a more interactive format for safe driving education would make a larger imprint on teens.
Ultimately, as today’s teenagers learn to drive, they have many distractions at their disposal. Whether this means texting, calling and social media, or substances such as e-cigarettes and vapes that are marketed to teens and easily accessible, teenagers are at an increased risk of not driving safely. Additionally, poor driving habits can carry on into adulthood. The best way to stop driving accidents is by preventing them before they happen, through increasing the standards for earning a driver’s license, and educational programs. As people occupying a community together, we have a responsibility to look out for one another, and to commit full-time to practicing safe and sober driving.