In the Driver’s Seat

How to Reduce Dangerous Driving Habits

Driving is a privilege that comes with a great deal of responsibility and, as such, requires undivided concentration. Regrettably, unsafe driving behaviors, such as texting or using social media while driving, have grown increasingly widespread among teenagers, resulting in catastrophic effects such as a large number of accidents and fatalities. Smartphone use while driving has been identified as the leading cause of accidents, injuries, and fatalities among young drivers. This discovery has led to increased attention and focus on the issue, with the goal of identifying measures to minimize the incidence of these risky driving behaviors among adolescents. Either the core reasons or the bad impacts of texting and social media use can be countered through the implementation of various techniques. We can save numerous lives and make our roadways safer for everyone by raising awareness, offering education and training, and enforcing harsh rules and punishments.

Promoting awareness is one of the tactics used to prevent harmful driving habits among adolescents. Teenagers can better comprehend the risks involved with texting or using social media while driving if they are made more aware of the implications of this activity. There have been numerous campaigns to increase awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign has been quite effective in lowering the number of accidents caused by texting while driving, for example. This ad tries to educate folks about the hazards of texting while driving by showcasing real-life accounts of people whose lives have been affected by distracted driving. According to research done by AT&T, 90% of respondents stated they were less inclined to text and drive after viewing the “It Can Wait” video (Hayashi et al., 2019). Consequently, raising knowledge can considerably lower the prevalence of risky driving behaviors among adolescents.

Providing education and training is another successful technique for reducing teen drivers’ risky behavior. Teens may not be fully aware of the dangers of distracted driving, and they may not know how to avoid engaging in such conduct. Educating adolescents about safe driving techniques is essential. This can be accomplished through driver education programs that emphasize the dangers of distracted driving and instruct adolescents on how to avoid them. The National Safety Council’s “Alive at 25” initiative, for instance, tries to educate young drivers on safe driving practices, including the dangers of distracted driving (National Safety Council, 2022). In addition, parents play an important role in educating their teens about safe driving practices. Parents can assist their teenagers in becoming safer drivers by explaining the dangers of distracted driving and by providing a positive example. Teenagers can learn the significance of maintaining concentration while driving with the proper education and training, hence minimizing the probability of developing dangerous driving habits.

Enforcement of strict restrictions and fines is another approach that may be useful in decreasing risky driving practices among young drivers. The majority of states have already enacted legislation prohibiting texting and social media use while driving. Unfortunately, these rules are frequently poorly enforced, resulting in low compliance among adolescents. Deterring teenagers from engaging in distracted driving requires the enforcement of stringent rules and punishments. In some areas, for instance, fines for distracted driving can reach $1,000, and drivers may also have their licenses suspended. In addition, several jurisdictions have implemented the use of “textalyzers,” which are equipment used by law enforcement officials to determine whether a driver was using a cell phone before an accident (New York State YMCA youth and government, 2018). Teenagers who may be tempted to use their cell phones while driving will be deterred by these regulations and punishments. By implementing these regulations and punishments, adolescents will be more likely to take the hazards connected with distracted driving seriously, hence reducing the incidence of unsafe driving habits among adolescents.

In sum, teen drivers’ texting, social networking, and other harmful driving practices while driving must be addressed with a diversified approach. Awareness efforts, instructional programs, and legal enforcement reduce distracted driving. Teens should see driving as a privilege that comes along with a tremendous deal of responsibility. Parents, teachers, and community members must teach teens about safe driving and distracted driving. We can reduce distracted driver injuries and deaths by working together. Let’s advocate for tight restrictions, raise awareness, and educate new drivers about the dangers of reckless driving. Everyone must fight distracted driving to protect themselves, their loved ones, and other drivers.

Reference

Hayashi, Y., Foreman, A. M., Friedel, J. E., & Wirth, O. (2019). Threat appeals reduce impulsive decision making associated with texting while driving: A behavioral economic approach. PloS one, 14(3), e0213453. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213453

National Safety Council. (2022). Alive at 25 4-Hour Driver Safety Training. National Safety Council – Save lives, from the workplace to anyplace. https://www.nsc.org/getmedia/2c2361f9-c513-4d79-8143-0eaa38048f64/report-understanding-driver-distraction0920.pdf.aspx

New York State YMCA youth and government. (2018). 2018 New York State YMCA Youth And Government. ymcanys.org. https://www.ymcanys.org