A few minutes to when I was going to take my driving test, I got involved in a car accident. I was parked alongside my mother, going over last-minute advice. Another car suddenly rammed into us. I was not even the one driving the car, yet I still experienced the full brunt of the crash. My heart was racing, hands shaking, and I had to gather myself and take the test regardless. I did pass somehow, but I went away that day with something more valuable than a license: a good respect for just how dangerous driving can be.
I've been rear-ended twice since then. Both instances were when I was sitting at a red light. Neither incident was my fault. One driver admitted they were texting. The other was simply not paying attention. I was doing everything right, but that still did not protect me. These wrecks taught me something important, it's not always enough to be a safe driver. You have to be vigilant for other people's mistakes, too.
Teen safe driving isn't a personal issue. It's an issue of the public. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death for U.S. teens" (Teen Drivers). In 2021 alone, nearly 2,800 teens died in car accidents, and nearly 227,000 were injured. That's a few hundred thousand teen lives changed or lost, many due to situations potentially avoided.
What is it that drives teen drivers to be so risky? One big factor is inexperience. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), "Crash rates per mile driven are about four times higher for teens than for drivers 20 and older" (Teenagers). Teenagers have not had enough time driving to be able to make quick decisions like experienced drivers do after a lifetime of practice. Distracted driving is also a major reason. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that in 2021, nine percent of teen drivers that were involved in fatal crashes were distracted at the time of the crash (NHTSA). That's including texting, phone conversation, eating, playing with the GPS, or just messing around with other people in the car. What makes it even more difficult is peer pressure. Teenagers do not always feel like they can say something if a friend is distracted or driving wildly. But we have to do better. Being a responsible passenger is as important as being a responsible driver. In school, everyone behaves as though driving fast with music and a carload of friends is the norm. But what's "normal" shouldn't be what's risky.
Driver's ed gets kids ready for driving, but it has to be deeper. My instructor told me real-life stories about fatal crashes caused by small mistakes, like going through a yellow light or glancing at a message. That made it real. It wasn't memorizing road signs; it was understanding that one mistake can kill another person. We need to have more of that kind of education: honest conversations, emotional stories, and individual responsibility.
To get teen driving onto safer paths, schools and communities need to work together. Guest speakers who have been involved in crashes or lost loved ones due to distracted driving should be brought into schools. Defensive driving classes for teens and insurance discounts for completing them should be offered by communities. Stricter graduated licensing programs, which limit the number of passengers new drivers may have and set curfews, should be established. These are not punishments; these are safety measures with evidence backing them up. Parents are a huge influence. My mom never let anyone use the phone while driving. No checking it, not even at red lights. I thought she was overdoing it. Now that I have been rear-ended twice by drivers who were distracted by their phones, I get it. Parents must model the behaviors they want and have to talk frequently with their teens—not only when they do end up getting into trouble.
We also need to be held accountable for each other as teenagers. It shouldn't be embarrassing to tell another individual to slow down or put their phone away. Standing up could save your or their life. I always put my phone in the center console or on Do Not Disturb mode when driving. I keep music low and do not drive with too many people. I set those rules for myself because I don't want to die—and because I want to keep other people alive too.
I never thought I'd be in three accidents before my 18th birthday. I did all the things I was supposed to do, and I still got hurt and shaken. That's why teen driver safety is so important. The risks are real, and the responsibility starts with us.