Teen driver safety is a vital issue that needs to be more highly addressed in public. This issue needs more attention because driving is new to teens and they are also experiencing lots of hormones that alter their emotions quickly. Therefore, teens are more likely to react in a negative manner to bad things that happen to them. Teens are also infamous for partying, drinking, and overall just misbehaving. Although I wish that I could say that stereotype has changed, it just has not and I do not think it ever will. As a teenager you not only gain freedom, but you gain more responsibility. Receiving a drivers license and being able to drive is a huge responsibility that teenagers must not take lightly. Something as simple as driving a car can threaten others or even your own life within the blink of an eye. With such responsibility required while being behind the wheel, I believe driver education classes should be cheaper and more easily available for teenagers.
It is a blessing to be able to drive yourself around and not have to rely on your parents to take you places, but driving brings many obstacles teen drivers have to overcome. The phone. The biggest distractor of all and a huge part of teenagers lives. Many teens including myself use their cell phones while driving. Something as little as just looking down at your phone to read a text can cost your life. Car accidents happen way quicker than we think, and it is rare that passengers leave a crash without an injury. Not only is a cell phone usage an obstacles teens have to overcome when driving, but driving under the influence is another huge car accident stimulant. When you are a teenger you think nothing can hurt–you so what’s getting drunk or high once a week? Teens will do anything to feel included. To feel wanted by someone. Unfortunately, this often means drinking or smoking with friends even though you know it is wrong. You are a teenager though, so what’s going to hurt you? Nothing.
Wrong. We do get hurt. Teenagers are going through some of the most emotional times in their lives, so instead of drowning out those emotions with harmful and illegal things it is important to build habits. A habit is an action that you complete consistently. For example, brushing your teeth once in the morning and once at night. That’s a habit. To develop and consistently live a healthy lifestyle habits should be implemented or you might run the risk of getting sucked into things like drugs and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol are bad enough themselves, but you are playing a even more dangerous game when you drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Even before you begin driving you should surround yourself with good friends who are positive influences on your life. It may be cool to be friends with the most popular boy at your school. But it will not be cool when he peer pressures you to drink and drive. Or if you ride with him while he is drunk and you end up in a ditch somewhere. Your life is not worth the high that drugs or alcohol gives you.
I have never had an experience with driving under the influence, but I have been pulled over. I was on the way home from my boyfriend’s house at around 9:30 pm and he lives about 30 minutes away from me, so I was ready to be home. I never look forward to driving to his house because it’s just too far away. Since I had been driving for a few years on my own I started to be less and less conscience about speed limits. Big mistake. I passing a car (going the correct speed) in the right lane and as I got over into the left lane and sped up, I looked in my rearview mirror and saw the lights. I knew deep down it was me being pulled over, but half of me was praying that he was going for the car in front of me. Turns out he was not. This put me in panic mode. I eventually pulled over and was only given a warning. Thank goodness. Although, I did not receive a ticket, this experience has helped me become a better driver. No matter where you are going, you should not speed. Speeding causes accidents and takes lives everyday. Now I see my speed as a weapon, because you never know what could happen.
I believe teens should be required to take a driving safety class at their middle school. This should help equip them for driving in the future. This class should include the dangers of drinking and driving, dangers of speeding, phone usage while driving, and more. Rules of the road should also be taught to middle schoolers, so when they start learning to drive they already know some rules of the road. Lastly, I think more signs/advertisements that say ‘slow down’ or ‘no driving under the influence’ should be on the roads. These signs will help teens and other drivers be more aware of how they drive affects others.