We, As Young Drivers, Must Become Catalysts for Safe Driving

In 2018 alone, over 40,000 people died from vehicle related accidents in the United States. Of the 40,000+ killed, some 3,200 were killed by a driver using their cell phone while driving. However, this didn’t cross my mind as I hopped into my volkswagon bug one afternoon and turned the key, and along with its normal startup, the radio turned on at full volume. In my car, I have a bluetooth speaker that I can connect to the music that plays on my phone. I switched my car from it’s parked position to reverse to get out of my parallel parking spot. I started to reverse, but at the same time, I started shuffling through the music on my phone to play a song. Just a few short seconds of my wheels rolling backwards on the gravel, and the back of my car slammed into the front bumper of my neighbors silver car, parked just behind me. My stomach dropped and I frantically turned my car off, and got out to see our two cars. My careless driving had resulted in a circular crack to the back of my car and a long crack through the front bumper of the other car. Had I been driving on the road at a higher speed, this small crash could have been something much worse, taking the life of me, or another driver.

Since this accident, I have made every effort to become a more mindful driver. One of the biggest steps I took to become a safe driver was turning on the ‘do not disturb while driving’ icon as soon as I step into my car. This tool prevents any notifications from popping up on my phone while I am actively driving, which has helped me redirect my focus solely on the road. I have also severely lowered the volume of my music while driving. Playing it at a lower level allows me to have background noise, but doesn’t distract my driving.

The responsibility to practice safe driving is passed down with each generation of new drivers. We, as young drivers, must become catalysts for safe driving. We must be a generation that enforces mindful driving as well as championing this within ourselves. We must hold ourselves accountable to be attentive to the road.

Outside of what we can do as individuals, to increase the number of educated drivers on the road, it is imperative that the price of drivers ed decreases. Education is the most valuable asset any community can provide. It is unfair to assume that every driver has an equal opportunity to enroll in a drivers ed course. Even classes through high schools can be $250. It is untrue to say that every student is able to pay that price. If we are committed to keeping our roads safe, then we must also be committed to making sure every driver has the opportunity to become armed with the education to do so.