Teenagers are notorious for being emotional, distracted, and unsafe on the road. According to a report by CNN, the leading cause of death among teens is accidents, with 62% being from motor vehicle accidents.1 These accidents on the road not only take the lives of the drivers, but other people on the road as well. Teen driving safety is an important public issue and driver’s education helps ensure safety for the teen drivers and other people on the road.
Unsafe teen driving does not only harm the driver but also others on the road. Most people in the USA live in the city, with 80% living in urban areas.2 Where there are people, there are families, and where there are families, there are teens. Due to this larger population in a comparatively confined space, cities face reckless drivers in narrow streets filled with other cars in residential areas. This increases the likelihood of children being hit, as all it takes is one kid to dart out into the street after a ball with a distracted teen on the phone to result in death. A study examining the usage of phone use during driving has concluded that 21% of driving time for teens occurs while on the phone, while around 3000 people die each year due to distracted driving.3 4 Many teens think that it is just a moment, that answering a quick text won’t hurt anyone, but even answering a five second text going 55 mph (a common road speed) is enough to travel the approximate length of a football field.5 A car is essentially a multi-ton battering ram on wheels with massive destructive power to boot. It is imperative for the safety of all those on the road to practice safe driving standards, which can most effectively be instilled by a trained, seasoned teacher.
Teachers are an imperative part of almost every skill one can learn in life. Of every great that exists there was a teacher to guide them. Mozart was taught by his father, Gordon Ramsey by Marco Pierre White, for every great there is a guide, and for something as dangerous as driving, teen drivers should strive to be great, not only for their safety, but for the safety of others as well.6 7 This thought process is backed up by evidence as well. Studies conducted on the driving ability of students who were taught or not taught by driving instructors in regards to crash rates showed that “Young drivers who have not completed driver’s education are 75 percent more likely to get a traffic ticket, 24 percent more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury accident and 16 percent more likely to have an accident.”8 This trend proves that having a dedicated teacher to guide teen drivers encourages the survival of the drivers and those around them.
Nationally, roughly 40% of car accidents are multi-car accidents, also known as “pile-ups.”9 These pile-ups are especially dangerous, however, even accidents regarding only one or two vehicles can be dangerous to drive with. A phenomenon known as “rubbernecking” (where drivers stop or slow temporarily to examine the crash or other incident) commonly occurs when a crash happens on the side of the road, which can cause traffic jams or other accidents by distracting other drivers.10 By causing smaller spaces and increased road rage, traffic jams also can lead to more accidents occurring. This can be alleviated to some degree by properly taught drivers who are equipped with the skills to handle other angry drivers, narrow spaces, and proper navigational techniques. These skills in turn can lead to more confident drivers who are less likely to get scared when approached with a new scenario, as they are more likely to have the skills applicable to handling this new scenario.
Driving instructors not only lead to an increase in safety via driving instructions, but also an increase in the ability to navigate unsafe situations, which is equally important for public safety. A new driver is going to be understandably nervous when approached with the responsibility of handling a multi-ton piece of machinery that is responsible for nearly 43,000 deaths per year.11 When approached with a new scenario, it is common for young drivers to panic, making the situation worse, but with the aid of tools given by driving instructors, protocols can be used to help make it through the situation without panicking, as the in-class section of these lessons often go over important driving maneuvers to navigate situations such as car-crashes or black ice.
In short, teen drivers need to drive safely not only for their own survival but for others as well. Additionally, the usage of driving instructors greatly reduces the rates of teen accidents on the road, and can help ensure safety for all who drive.