As a 17 year old teenager, I feel like I can speak for a good amount of teenagers when I say we are full of life. Majority of teenagers are almost always busy with their schedules full of school events, family events, sports and hanging out with friends. A lot of us get a driver's license as soon as we turn 16 but life can be so fast paced that we don't think fully. Recklessly driving to get to all of these places and not thinking about anyone else's lives who are also just trying to get from point A to point B. Teens make up about 3.7% of all U.S. drivers but over 6.1% of fatal crashes in the U.S. in all are caused by teens. Could you imagine driving safely and your life being taken by someone who was not thinking and decided to start recklessly driving on the road? As teens especially, driving is a big responsibility and one of those responsibilities that include not endangering the lives of others and yourself on the road.
I started driver's education when I was 15 years old, my first segment 1 in person drive was the first time I had ever driven a car in my life. Although I was very nervous, I tried my best to listen to my instructor and focus on checking my surroundings carefully before making desicions. Just being in an empty parking lot practicing I quickly correct errors I was making like not double checking mirrors and turning too fast. I am 17 now and just got my license a month ago. I feel very comfortable on the road now, even though I feel like there is still a lot for me to learn about driving. I make sure I take my time to read the road, turn on signals and do the speed limit. While I have not caused an accident myself and hope I never will, I have been in quite a few car accidents. One that stands out is when my friend was driving with myself and another girl in the car and she turned left into a parking lot in the middle of a one way street heading north. This was an illegal turn she made and seconds after she decided to turn and increase speed, a car hit us on the left side of the car. I was sitting behind her and the other car dented the majority of the left doors, slamming in her left rear view mirror. If the car had hit us about a second later or if he was going any faster, we would have all been injured. She was in the wrong but the police did not end up taking points off her license to show that this was a learning lesson. My other friend and I also had no clue this was an illegal turn she made until the police told us so. I took this as a learning experience to know the rules of the road before I got my license.
With these being said, I hope no one ever has to experience a car crash to be aware of the risks of recklessly driving on the road, especially as teens. Alot of teens drive high or drunk, which cause thousands of deaths that could have so easily been prevented. Being in your right state of mind and knowing the rules of the road is so important when you are driving. Driving is a big privilege that is earned and teens are quick to forget that driving is the riskiest thing we do on a daily basis. Getting my license was a long process but my hard work and striving to learn has made me a safer driver. More teens need to think twice before they buckle in and start a car. Something as little as not checking a blindspot or making an incorrect turn causes a horrible accident. Drag racing on a main road or running a red light can end someone's life. What if it was your best friend killed in a car crash? What if it was your brother , sister or one of your parents killed in a car crash? What is someone you loved more than anything was taken by a teen who was texting while driving? Such a little thing they could have done in a second while they were not driving a vehicle. Drunk driving or driving high? A teen decided to take car keys and drive their friends home after a night of partying without being sober. Driving recklessly and speeding? Cutting in front of people or running a red light just to prove a point to a friend. So many things can cause someone’s life to be taken from them just because you decided to make poor decisions driving. Driving recklessly is seriously never worth it. As teenagers, we are examples for the next generation of new drivers. We should be leading by example to show others that we can be trusted to drive on the road and grow to be better. Driving safely should always be your number one priority on the road. Always think twice.