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Having the independent ability to transport yourself and your friends from one destination to another is one of the biggest milestones in a teen’s life. However, distracted driving and limited amounts of driver’s education can lead to the increase of vehicle crashes and fatalities. The biggest problem with teen drivers is that they feel invincible. It's the first true taste of freedom a teen experiences and they often lack the ability to see the consequences for their actions when going 75 mph. Driver’s education is a must when teaching new drivers. By teaching new drivers safe habits and making sure they obey every rule on the road at the start of their driving journey, it allows them to keep the safe habits for longer and can help them see future potential dangers.

Although I have not been in an accident, I have witnessed many of my friends practice unsafe and potentially fatal driving habits. The biggest one is texting while driving. Watching your friends not pay attention to the road and instead focus on their phone is alarming and nerve-wracking as it is one of the leading causes of death among teens. Not only do we need to educate drivers on the dangers of distracted driving, but there need to be rules in place to deter people from committing them. Although not every state has made using handheld devices while driving illegal, as of May 2019, 48 states, D.C. and 3 U.S. Territories have made it illegal to drive and text and 38 states and D.C. have made it illegal for novice and teen drivers to use cell phones under any circumstance while driving. Outside of the U.S. the United Kingdom has made it illegal to use handheld devices while driving no matter what age you are, and the amount of driving accidents is much lower because of it. With laws and limits in place, drivers will be less likely to participate in dangerous behaviors. 

There are numerous precautions you can take to limit your distractions while driving. Before you start your car, make sure you answer any texts or phone calls you need to before you arrive at your destination. Then, place your phone out of sight to minimize the want to answer any notification that comes through. Second, before you start your drive, make sure you turn your radio to a station you enjoy or even connect your phone and play your own music.  By not  constantly changing your music, you drastically cut the risk of being distracted from the road. 

Driving is a privilege, not a right. Being able to drive is an enormous responsibility to take on and everyone on the road needs to be educated accordingly. While new and young drivers might roll their eyes at the constant “Don’t drink and drive” and “Don’t text and drive” and other similar lectures, it is important that we keep educating and making sure that drivers know the  danger that could come their way with distracted, unsafe driving.