Distractions Are All Fun & Games Until Someone Dies

I have been driving for a little over 3 years now and so far, my driving record is clean. I feel that I am an alert, responsible, and a safe driver. A good student discount was applied to my family’s car insurance plan, although it doesn’t make much of a dent in the high premium. It’s high simply because I am a teen driver. Given our inexperience and lack of proven driving records, teens have some of the highest insurance premiums out there.

The state of Virginia requires that all new drivers complete a state-approved driver education program with in-vehicle lessons, and a new driver must hold a learner’s permit for at least 9 months. A new driver must be 16 years and 3 months old in order to obtain a license. To make it official, attendance with a parent to a mandatory Juvenile Court Licensing Ceremony is also required. We all took an oath to follow safe driving practices and to obey all Virginia traffic laws. With all the extensive reading, classroom instruction, videos, on the road certified training, a stern judge’s lecture, and driving practice with my parents, I felt well-prepared to finally get behind the wheel. Between the instruction, training, awareness of the dangers of driving, as well as understanding the serious consequences, I needed to be alert, responsible, courteous, and to give driving my full attention. It sounds easy on paper, but it is not as simple in real life.

During classroom instruction, I watched videos about the dangers of distracted driving, speeding, drinking, ignoring traffic laws, etc. These videos were eye opening, disturbing, and impactful. I think out of all the instruction I received, these videos had the most far-reaching and visceral effect on me and my classmates. Suddenly, driving didn’t seem like it would be fun anymore. We were hit with the hard reality that driving was actually work, and that it required intense focus and concentration. A mild paranoia had set in. I realized that each time I was on the road, risk was waiting for me. I began to question if I would make it to my destination safely. By not paying attention, we each contribute to that risk. In the split second it takes for us to change a radio station or pick up a soda, we could perish instantly.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2019, an estimated 205,000 young drivers were injured in crashes and 1,603 young drivers died in traffic accidents. Motor vehicle fatality is the leading cause of accident death among teenagers, representing over one-third of all deaths to teenagers. The CDC Transportation Safety Division reported that the “risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens aged 16–19 than among any other age group.” The cause of these accidents? Distracted driving, speeding, drunk driving, night driving and other factors. This is a heart-breaking statistic for my demographic. Driver inexperience plays a big role in these numbers and, unfortunately, young drivers will always carry this cross. Strike one.

Oftentimes while operating a vehicle, a driver needs to make a split decision to avoid hazards. There is physiological proof that the underdeveloped prefrontal cortex of a teenaged brain may hamper proper decision making, putting them and their passengers at greater risk. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for a teen’s ability to plan and think about the consequences of actions, solve problems and control impulses. This part of the brain doesn’t reach maturity until about age 25. Teens tend to exhibit riskier behavior and act on emotions rather than on logic. Teenagers are disadvantaged in this regard, through no fault of their own. It’s a physiological fact, and again, they can’t speed up natural development timelines. Strike two.

So with two strikes against us, what can we do? Distractions that can divert a young driver’s attention away from the road. Texting, listening to loud music, playing video games, scrolling through social media, putting on makeup, playing with radio dials, eating, talking to a passenger, watching the GPS…the list goes on. An unfocused millisecond can mean life or death. I admit that I am occasionally distracted and fight temptation daily. Teenagers need to vow to themselves that they will not give in to distractions. They can shut off alerts and place the phone where they can’t reach it. Allow plenty of extra time to get somewhere (get up earlier). Don’t let passengers distract you. Leave the radio alone. Teens can control this by making behavioral adjustments and with commitment, can reduce teen traffic fatality statistics.

As a passenger, I call a driver out when they aren’t paying attention. Several of my friends look at me while talking and sometimes reach for their mobile phones. I always make them aware when they do this. It is the driver’s responsibility to get us home safely. Having peers who remind us of our driving missteps is both helpful and life-saving. Sometimes drivers forget that someone else’s life is in their hands.

I myself have been guilty of listening to loud music while driving. This is the only space where I could pump up the volume without judgment. It certainly doesn’t help that the car is equipped with a phenomenal sound system. My mother has spoken to me about how sound can interfere with safe driving. I have already made adjustments. I imagine this volume change will also save my hearing. With the volume up, I may not be able to hear someone yelling for help, or a siren, or a horn, or squealing brakes. Safe driving requires that all senses be engaged. I could easily be that person calling for help.

I had a bad habit of eating breakfast in the car on the way to work. I would sometimes stop at Starbucks for a croissant ham and cheese to go and gobble it down before I pulled up to my workplace. I once dropped a sandwich in my lap and looked down to retrieve it. This could’ve had a bad outcome. It’s risky, it’s careless and it’s unhealthy. Had I set my alarm for 30 min earlier, I could have saved myself from the danger and indigestion. I think most accidents happen when someone is rushing. I started getting up earlier to sit down to eat at home like a civilized human instead of inhaling my breakfast while in transit.

The first step to correcting distracted driving is to admit that you have a problem. I knew what I had to do because I was endangering myself and others, even though at the time it seemed insignificant. I have seen horrific traffic accidents involving teens and always wonder what caused it – was it a text or a passenger? Maybe they spilled their soda and didn’t see the light change? The real reason is never revealed in an obituary.

A few weeks ago, a 2022 graduate and an athlete like me from a nearby high school lost his life in an accident with a tractor trailer in Leesburg, VA. He was making a food delivery when this transpired. He was a promising young basketball star with aims to play in the NBA. Investigations are ongoing and the cause of his accident remains a mystery. This tragic incident could have happened to any teenager – even me. This distressing story certainly drove home the urgency and perils of distracted driving, and it was a tragic way for us teens to learn a hard lesson. My peers were either directly or indirectly affected by his death and the news hit us hard.

In addition to avoiding distractions, patience, courtesy and good judgment is critical to sensible and safe driving. As teens, we are encumbered by delayed brain development and inexperience on the road, but we can make a conscious effort to save lives by being focused and alert, and not let distractions get the better of us. Don’t let distractions be the reason why you didn’t make it to your 25^th birthday.