To teens who do not take driving seriously, would you want that to be the reason why someone dies, causes trauma to others, and pay for expenses like medical bills? There are 2 positions a person can be in during an accident: the one who caused it and the one who got hit. Anyone can cause an accident behind the wheel, whether you are a careless driver or cautious. So, what can you do to lower the probability? The 2 solutions are to educate everyone on how to drive safely and overcome distractions.
I have seen a couple of accidents and have been guilty of causing one, but they all have something to teach. From my experience, it was just a regular day, and I was headed to my house. There was a yield sign, and I looked at both ways to see if there were any cars. I did not see any cars, so when I accelerated my car, boom, I hit a tiny white car. It all happened so fast, and I tried to hit the brakes, but it didn't stop the damage both cars faced. I was praying that nothing happened to the other individual. I was more worried about the other person than I was about myself because I thought I could handle it, but I don't know if the other person could. I also could have hurt this person mentally. I did not want to be the reason why a person is terrified of driving. The other person was not hurt, and neither was I. The person seemed to be okay, but I still to this day think they are scared to get in a car and drive. I know I am, and I still feel very guilty about it. I remember I kept telling myself it was just supposed to be a normal Friday, but things happen; life can throw in unexpected events. I learned that you can never be too cautious, and every time you get into a car, it is always a risk; just because you are a great driver does not mean the people around you are. Another experience was with one of my dearest friends, Yari. Her mom was driving, and she was 4 years old. Her mom got hit, and the windows broke, and Yari had years' worth of fear towards loud noises. She would always panic and get scared every time she heard fireworks, and she always dreaded the Fourth of July. Thankfully, this year was the first year she enjoyed it. I tried to help her by reassuring her that she was okay every time she heard the loud explosions from the fireworks. This story taught me that just because it happened years ago does not mean a person forgets like nothing has happened, so keep in mind the potential trauma you may cause if you do not take driving seriously, and for people who are still traumatized, there is always room for recovery, even if it takes years. Another situation was that there was this individual who would not drive carefully. This person would speed a lot, and many people warned and told this person to be more careful. Then, one day, this person flipped their car from speeding. Thankfully, this person survived but is still recovering physically. This situation taught me that sometimes people must experience the consequences of not being safe firsthand.
I believe there are 2 main challenges teens face today: being distracted with technology like phones and lacking knowledge when it comes to driving. The lack of experience and being easily distracted increases the likelihood of reckless driving and overall harm to the public. The only way to overcome these issues is to take the time to learn how to drive properly. A driver’s education is the best start for teens to learn how to be responsible when driving, gain experience, and build their confidence while driving. Thanks to technology, we have easier access to learning anytime and almost anywhere. If you cannot learn, get off the roads. There is no excuse for reckless driving.
Some extra precautions schools and communities can take are to set a lower speed limit during the hours when there will be a lot of traffic and a lot of people walking around. Teens can put the phone down before driving, refuse to drive when they are drunk, and follow the speed limit.
In conclusion, driving is not a right but a privilege. Do not be the reason why someone else gets hurt; Never forget the risks behind the wheel and build safe driving habits. If you’ve been careless before, it’s not too late to change. Be the reason someone gets home safely, not the reason they do not.