Anxiety on the Road

As cars have gotten more and more advanced, there’s less chance of the car going wrong. As such, the scarily high number of vehicle-realted deaths are more and more the dirver’s fault. As teen drivers, we are less experienced and more distracted, resulting in more driver error and more deaths. Since human error is the primary reason for deaths, it is important to mitigate them in any way possible. Since the problem is human, the best solution is to educate drivers. This is hard because classroom education is a very different experience than being in a several ton, this is often hard. The solution is masking drivers more aware of the startling statistics and what causes them. Driving schools should focus more heavily on the causes of distracted driving and how to prevent them.

I have been in a car accident. I got into my car to drive home from school, when I heard the deafening screech of metal on metal. I remember casually watching the car next to me pull out, and thinking that they were turning a little too close before I heard our cars running into each other. I got out of the car and hurried around to see what happened. My right front headlight was completely smashed in. I remember feeling lightheaded, thinking about what could have happened if I was pulling out. It was very similarly when I hear my friends have been (hosptialized) for driving.

Every time I hear one of my friends has gotten into a car accident, it sends my heart stuttering. I know that if events had played out even a bit differently, I would never see them again. I know that for many, my nightmare is their reality. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones to car accidents.

Every day I drive past a white bicycle decorated in flowers

Every day we let our siblings, our friends, our children interact with the most common cause of death for teens

During covid, my school set up one way hallways and tape on the floor to designate direction. If schools employ such techniques, it would make sense to use the same road signs and markings that high school students are familiar with.

Ever since I was little I wanted to drive a car. I would sit on my parents lap while they were parked and pull the wheel back and forth, zooming along just like I saw my parents do. As I grew older I chafed at having my parents drive me to and from activities. As a teenager growing in independence, nothing was more frustrating than having to plan my life around when my parents felt like giving me a ride. Now, I can’t imagine going back to life shackled to my parent’s schedule.

The freedom of being able to drive is also a heavy responsibility. As a high school student, I saw signs about safe driving every day. I would read news articles about tragic accidents. I drive by a white bicycle marking the death of a cyclist every day. It wasn’t until I got into a crash that I realized how dangerous operating a four ton machine could be.I had learned at Driver’s Ed and through school announcements that motor accidents are the most common cause of death for teens like myself. The reality of that statement didn’t hit home until I got into my first car accident.

When the bell rang to signal the end of school, I was ready for another day of after school trafic. I climbed into my car, thinking about what I needed to do when I got home. I remember casually watching the car next to me pull out, and thinking that it was a little too close. Then came the deafening shreik of metal on metal, a sound that vibrated my bones. The world took on an otherworldy feel, as if I was imagining the crash. After all, car crashes weren’t real to me, they happened to other people. When I got out to see what happened, my headlight was completely smashed in. I gaped at the crumpled remains of my headlight, stunned. All I could think about was that if I had pulled forward, that could have been me crumpled there.

Every time I hear one of my friends has gotten into a car accident, it sends my heart stuttering in the same way. I about how, if events had played out even a bit differently, I would never see them again. For weeks after a crash, I worry, knowing that each time one of my friends climbs into a car it could be their last. I know that for many, my nightmare is their reality. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones to car accidents.

Every day loved ones climb into one of the most deadly activities in the United States. Nearly one hundred people die every day from motor related accidents. However, the thousands of deaths every years are not because of the machines. Most car accidents are a result of human error. The only way to protect everyone on the road is by practicing protective driving.

Although no one can control what other people do, drivers can keep themselves and their passengers safe by being ready to react. By limiting distractions in the car such as loud music, texting, or eating, one can stay alert to other driver’s actions. Drivers who are more attentive to their surroundings react to potentially deadly situations more quickly, protecting everyone involved.

Statistically, new drivers are prone to more accidents because of their inexperience, and often incomplete education. While driver’s ed teaches students about traffic laws and signs, the course does not adequately prepare one to be a safe driver. This responsibility is often left up to the driver’s guardians during the permit phase of a student’s driving education. As such, there is much variability in the topics focused on. In my personal practice, I struggle with checking the mirrors as often as I should.

To amend this education problem, more focus needs to be put on distactions while driving, especially during the hands on portion of driver’s ed. Instead of simple admonishments to wear their seatbelts or don’t text and drive, students must be shown concrete examples of the danger these distractions cause. This could include sharing startling numbers such as how far the car goes each time a person looks away from the road, or the death rate among inexperienced drivers. Clourses could also include more hands on examples of the danger, such as asking a volunteer to try to navigate an obstacle course while also eating.

There is no doubt, improved education can make tomorrow’s roads safer than today. However, in order to make todays roads safer, each person must consiously choose to be an alert driver, and minimize potential distractions.