The moment that I lost the habit of looking behind me when backing out of a parking spot had put me, anyone who was in my car, and anyone who could possibly be around me in danger. It was early in the morning when my two siblings and I had to rush out of church class so that I could get to school. The only thing that was on my mind was getting from one location to the other. So, when I backed out at an alarmingly fast speed, ignoring my brother's warning to “watch out for what was behind me”, I hit the car of one of my classmates. Of course, I was embarrassed, and my ego was shredded. My parents were upset, but in the end, my dad told me, “Things can be fixed, but your life matters more.” That day, I learned that my safety matters more than any of the benefits that my license provides for me. But I’m concerned that in today's world, dangerous driving habits, especially from younger drivers, have become something to laugh at rather than something to seriously think about. We need to acknowledge these problems with an importance for safety and a focus on accountability. Because the possibility of being able to take someone's life is no laughing matter.

Now more than ever, young drivers are dealing with so many obstacles when they’re on the road. Many of these obstacles are distractions found within the small box of pixels known as a cell phone. It’s easy to have the mindset of “I’m just sending a text,” or “I’m just changing the music,” or even “I’m just looking down at my GPS.” Cellphones are quick, but even a mere second can be the difference between life and death. Another problem that these teen drivers are facing is simply the fact that they are young and inexperienced. Reckless driving doesn’t always mean that someone is being unsafe on purpose. Sometimes it’s because of a lack of knowledge or through the formation of a dangerous habit. It’s not enough to just pass your driving test. In fact, that’s when the work really starts. The safety aspects of learning to drive aren’t just for show; they exist because they could be saving people's lives. Instead, when these skills are ignored, once these young drivers are by themselves, they cause severe and irreversible damage. The impact of these behaviors is a number that is constantly on the rise. Thousands of people are killed every year because of distracted driving. But that number doesn’t count the millions of people who are grieving a loved one. Recklessness affects everyone, and that statement alone should be the reason that we strive to create a safe community of drivers.

To combat these issues, it’s important that we focus on not only safe driving habits but also defensive driving skills. Defensive driving is defined as being able to anticipate potential harm and respond appropriately. Examples of defensive driving include awareness of your surroundings, utilizing your space and distance appropriately, and staying calm when on the road. By putting a focus on creating drivers who are able to keep themselves and others out of harm's way, the risk of an accident is heavily reduced, which has the potential to lower insurance costs and would create a more relaxed driving environment. Another way to reduce risk on the road is by encouraging young drivers to put their phones on do not disturb when they’re driving. By doing so, we eliminate the texts, social media, and the various things that catch our attention that can wait until after we put it in park.

It’s important to take a step in the right direction. By promoting a culture of safety and accountability, we can help form a new mindset for young drivers. By utilizing a sense of awareness and always remembering the basics, we create drivers who can keep themselves safe by obeying traffic laws and knowing what they are actively doing, and we develop drivers who can keep others safe by teaching the importance of defensive driving and avoiding harm whenever it’s possible. Since that accident, I have learned to look where I’m backing up. But I also learned that I needed to change the way that I thought about driving. It’s important to me to remember that I have the power when I’m behind the wheel. But no one should have to learn these lessons “the hard way.” It’s time to strive for wreck less driving, not reckless driving. Because there is not a single distraction in the world that matters more than a human life.