Driving Tips; Improving Safety For Everyone

As a seventeen year old with roughly two years of driving experience under my belt I’ve already encountered some distracted and down right awful driving on the road. Growing up in Idaho I’ve always thought the majority of drivers here weren’t that great, so after a quick couple of studies I’ve came to the conclusion that I was right, Idaho is nearly always ranked near the top of poor driving lists and the numbers back it up. Based on 2023 statistics, 630 Idahoan drivers have been arrested for DUI per 100,000 (Smart Financial, 2023). This DUI epidemic in Idaho has become truly out of hand, from my personal experience I could name several drivers who have been arrested for driving under the influence. It really hit close to home when my best friend got a DUI just over a year ago, luckily no one was hurt, but to have someone that I look at as a brother put so many people’s lives in danger hurts to really think about. To prevent many of these intoxicated drivers from putting more people into potentially dangerous situations people need to start thinking ahead and protect themselves and others. If knowing that you are going to be in a situation where substance that may hinder ones driving ability will be present, then always let someone that has a driver’s license know your whereabouts, taking precautionary steps will avoid putting more people in danger then have to be. I think that this information would be very beneficial for many teens to hear especially due to their unfamiliarity with substances. Another option that I think is totally achievable for many teens is sobriety, after my best friend got a DUI I’ve refused to touch any substance and get near the steering wheel of a car. I believe that if you are confident and independent, you can refuse harmful substances if presented, further protecting yourself and others.

Those situations only come on certain occasions though, a majority of the time teens will be sober and safe, but there is another thing that teens do every day that is just as hazardous to themselves and other drivers; phones. Using phones while driving is something that I think all teens have done before whether they admit it or not, making this the most prevalent issue. I think it starts simple like, ‘oh I’m just going to change the song’, or ‘Let me reply to this snapchat real quick’, and while all this may take only seconds to do, a few seconds with your eyes off the road can change your life. While these small distractions seem bad, it gets worse trust me. I’ve been in a car with people before where the driver starts to be way more interested in their screen opposed to the road, and its terrifying for everyone in the car. Recently it feels like if you look to your left or right while driving on the road every other driver is looking down at their lap, and this needs to be changed quick. The first option and pretty much the only option I believe is to put it out of sight and out of mind. By putting the device in either the center console or the glove box allows the driver to no longer need to worry about who’s texting and only on staying focused. In some scenarios a phone might need to be present, like if you are looking for directions. In that case the phone should at least be put in ‘do not disturb’ and put in a place where it is very easily accessible. As soon as drivers can keep their eyes on the road and not on their device, the sooner we can prevent accidents nationwide.

While a phone is a distraction that many can just throw in a glove box, sometimes distractions come within the vehicle. From my personal experience, my closest calls on the road have been due to my friends being in the car. Been a teen boy in Idaho where the most entertaining thing to do on a weekend night is go on a drive with your friends, sometimes things get out of hand and it puts everyone in the car in danger. While sometimes it is inevitable that teens are going to be loud or distracting, I think it would be very beneficial to remind everyone that distracting a driver not only puts the passengers in danger but other drivers on the road. Other experiences that I’ve had on the road that have given me a scare have been from me not following good pre-driving checks before getting onto the road. While it may seem funny, I am six foot seven and can’t really fit in most cars. I drive a GMC Yukon, but in some situations I have to drive my moms or older sisters car which are both sedans. A good thing that many people need to be reminded on before driving is first, check your mirrors so you can properly see out of each of them, and also a big one for tall people, adjust your seat so you are most comfortable when driving. I believe that if drivers start following some of my rules and advice then the roads will be much safer for everyone driving.

Works Cited

Marticio, Dan. “Which States Have the Worst Drivers in 2023?” SmartFinancial, 21 Jan. 2022, smartfinancial.com/worst-drivers-by-state.