Safe Driving, Saves Lives.

Independence. Freedom. Responsibility. All of these terms have profound significance to a teenage driver who is just beginning to navigate the uncharted waters of adulthood. Though many of us are now discovering that adulthood is not all that it appeared to be through our rose-colored glasses, becoming an adult is still our childhood goal. However, statistics about teen driving and texting, which appear inconsequential to us, cannot diminish the joy we feel. When we hear those statistics, we think those are things that happen to other people. We’re puzzled as to how that could happen to us. We say, “Not me, I’m a good driver.” Teenagers, on the other hand, tend to forget that it could happen to us. When we choose to look down at our phones for a few seconds to pick our favorite song, make a call, respond to a text, or simply check social media, our lives can be radically changed. Mere seconds are all it takes. As a result, I believe we must find ways to communicate with our families, recognize that those statistics are actual people, and find alternatives to using our phones while driving in order to bridge the gap of reckless driving practices.

Teenagers in today’s society are heavily reliant on mobile phones, which are the 21st century equivalent of cigars. Something we can keep with us at all times, something we can use to distract ourselves or isolate ourselves from others, and something to which we can easily become addicted. Because we are too preoccupied with our screens to talk to our families about our fears and concerns, this addiction frequently keeps us apart from them unintentionally. It is critical that we take the time to talk about the unknown aspects of adulthood with our families. This would include discussing texting and driving in order to share personal experiences that would encourage us not to develop risky driving habits. Habits that endanger not only us but also the people with whom we share the road. Our family may not have many first-hand stories of texting while driving from their own teen years, but they are aware of the adult consequences that we may not consider when we choose to engage in this habit. For example, if we are in an accident or receive a ticket, our insurance rates may rise. Despite the fact that many of us believe we are experts on many aspects of adulthood, the reality is that due to our lack of experience, we know very little about many of these topics. Before we embark on our journey to discover adulthood, it is critical that we have a complete understanding of the situation.

Our rose-colored glasses start to fade more as we grow closer to adulthood, but the continued lack of experience keeps them from fully disappearing. In some ways, it shields our inner child, albeit occasionally it causes us to become overconfident as we make our journey toward adulthood. Which is the case with our excessive self-assurance while driving despite our inexperience, which results in a lack of refined driving abilities. As a result, we rarely realize that statistics about teen driving are based on thousands of teenagers who were either lucky to survive or tragically died while pursuing something as insignificant as finding their favorite song, calling, texting, or checking to see if their post received any likes or comments. Statistics show that when we are driving, it only takes seconds for something terrible to happen. That independence and freedom that comes with having a driver’s license comes with the responsibility of practicing driving habits that not only protect us but also those with whom we share the road.

As a result, it is our responsibility to develop safe driving practices that meet our needs while keeping everyone safe. One advantage of our society’s reliance on technology is the wide range of low-cost alternatives it provides for our vehicles and phones. Finding the best solution for each teenager’s or person’s needs only takes a little research; it can even be something we can do with our families to better understand the advantages and disadvantages of various technology alternatives. For example, while driving, we could program our phone to notify anyone trying to text us that we are driving, and if it is something that cannot wait, they could call instead. At that point, the teen driver could pull over to a safe location to respond or respond using a hands-free driving device. Such as a sun visor bluetooth clip, steering wheel bluetooth device, cell phone car mount, or a variety of other options are available. Furthermore, we could keep our phones out of reach to avoid using them to pass the time at red lights or in traffic.

Overall, the issue of reckless driving habits between teenagers and adults needs to be addressed more so that all parties can share their experiences and learn to build habits that keep roads safe for everyone. The significance of family and teen communication, connecting to statistics, and researching alternative vehicle and phone communication are just a few of the many things that can assist a teen driver on their journey to adulthood. A journey that is both exciting and terrifying due to all of the unknown factors, some of which we have yet to consider or imagine.