Before It’s Too Late

Emily Delgado

Before It’s Too Late

Blue skies, windows down, the best summer playlist blasting through the car speakers; it was the perfect summer day. Or at least, we thought it was. After sleeping over at my best friend’s house the night before, she drove me home the next day in her blue Jeep. After the car came to a halt at a stop sign not far from my house, a sudden jerk pushed the car violently forward. Our heads collided abruptly against the headrest, and as the sudden rush of adrenaline in our bodies diminished, we realized what had occurred: we had been rear-ended. While the accident was a minor one and no one on either side was severely injured, it was still a collision that could have been prevented. Because the leading cause of teenage deaths is vehicle-related, it is paramount that teenagers and young adults are not only taught safe and defensive driving in Drivers’ Education but also have resources available to assist in forming safe habits on the roads at a young age as they take on this new responsibility.

As a sophomore in high school, the halls buzzed with conversations about classmates who had newly gotten their driver’s licenses after their sixteenth birthdays. It was exciting to think about being able to drive oneself anywhere they wanted to; it was a new sense of freedom and independence in our young minds. After I received my driver’s permit and could finally begin practicing on the roads, my father always told me that “driving is a big responsibility.” I never quite understood the phrase until the first time I was behind the wheel of a vehicle. My father would take me to a nearby empty parking lot to practice, but the first time I was allowed to drive on an actual road, I froze. The ease and calm feeling I felt in the parking lot quickly departed as soon as the car tires hit the asphalt. Suddenly, I felt out of control as my mind raced with all of the things I had to do: push the blinker, press my foot on the right pedal, turn the steering wheel, look out for incoming traffic, check the mirrors, and listen to my father’s instructions. I was completely overwhelmed. Although I got the hang of it through practice, there is still a lot of concentration, careful decision-making, and rule-following that goes into driving a vehicle.

Everyday actions such as texting, playing loud music, talking on the phone, having a conversation with a passenger, and even eating can severely distract a person while driving and lead to serious consequences. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, if a person is texting while driving, they are twenty-three times more likely to be involved in a collision. I believe that one of the first steps to improving one’s habits and preventing a fatal catastrophe is to acknowledge any unsafe tendencies and find manners to change and correct them. When I first began driving, I found that I could not listen to the radio and drive at the same time because my focus would divert from the road to changing stations if I did not enjoy the song that was playing. While I love listening to music, I decided to not listen to the radio when I drive in order to give my undivided attention to the task of driving: the more important action at hand. Additionally, in our cell phone-obsessed society, as a new driver, I often found myself glancing over at my phone if I heard the familiar ring or buzz signaling I had a new notification. Not only is it unsafe and dangerous to divert one’s gaze off the road while driving, but it is also completely irresponsible to prioritize a text over the wellbeing of those on the road. Because of this, I now keep my phone on “do not disturb” so anytime I may be driving, notifications do not appear and tempt me to look away from the road. There are also apps such as DriveMode and LifeSaver that were specifically meant to prevent people from using their phones while conducting a vehicle: an action that could reduce the number of vehicle-related injuries and deaths.

Another way in which the number of teenage driving-related deaths could be reduced is through proper Drivers ed programs. In the United States, the requirement of taking Drivers ed courses is inconsistent, varying from state to state. In the state of Oregon, their Drivers ed program is one of the best in the country, containing classroom training, parent involvement, and supervised driving instruction. Because of their program, there has been more than a fifty-five percent reduction in the number of vehicle-related injuries and deaths in sixteen-year-olds. Not only is Drivers ed necessary for teaching young drivers about the nation’s driving laws and requirements, but also in teaching that every action has an equal-opposite reaction when it comes to conducting a motor vehicle. In Drivers ed, I recall watching videos and reading about parents whose children were killed in car accidents due to distracted drivers partaking in texting while driving or driving while under the influence. I believe it is crucial to hear those heart-wrenching stories because it makes it more real for young drivers; those teenagers were killed and it could happen to anyone. This form of educating the youth is not a scare tactic but rather a change of perspective for drivers to be aware that their actions have consequences. Drivers ed programs need to be designed to not only provide young drivers with the knowledge and practice they need before driving on the road but also need to be a safe place in which students can make mistakes that they can learn from there instead of later on while they are on their own.

No one truly knows when a car ride will be their last. Because of this, it is critical that young drivers are taught and assisted in order to create safer roads for everyone before it is too late.