Fighting a Deadly Statistic

As a teenager, it hurts to say it, but here it is: teenagers are stupid. Not all of them, and not all the time, but the fact is that it’s easy for teenagers to make unwise choices when it comes to driving. Whether it’s the thrill of taking risks, the hope of impressing a cute girl, or simply being thoughtless in trying to get somewhere quickly, many things cause teenagers to take silly – and potentially deadly – risks behind the wheel.

A few months ago, I was driving on the highway with an 18-year-old boy I was dating at the time, and in the car beside us was a group of incredibly competitive friends. As our friends’ car sped up and passed ours, his competitive spirit kicked in, and he sped up as well, trying to overtake them. For miles on the highway, they sped at least fifteen or twenty miles above the speed limit, sometimes hitting nearly a hundred miles per hour as the drivers constantly egged each other on. Sitting in the passenger seat, I grew increasingly uncomfortable; we were going way too fast. I tentatively tried to tell him to slow down, but he assured me that nothing bad would happen, and he just had to stay ahead of our friends. Eventually, I managed to convince him that “wining” the drive home wasn’t worth a speeding ticket or accident, and he slowed down.

Even though that experience thankfully didn’t result in an accident, it startled me to see first-hand how quickly teens can forget common sense behind the wheel.

This becomes particularly concerning when you consider how dire the consequences of poor driving decisions can be. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that in 2021, there were 42,915 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents,¹ and the Insurance Information Institute adds that while teen drivers make up only 5.1% of licensed drivers, they account for 8.5% of all drivers involved in fatal car accidents.² But why do these accidents happen, and why are teens in particular so susceptible to them? Because as the NHTSA reports, the leading causes of fatal car accidents include drunk driving, lack of seatbelt use, speeding, distracted driving, and drowsy driving³ – all of which are mistakes that are more likely to be made by someone lacking sufficient driving experience, are overly confident in their own driving skills, or underestimate the risks associated with driving, categories which teenage drivers are likely to fall into.

Considering these facts, three things become very clear: first, that there should be an increased focus on preventing road fatalities. Second, that teen drivers are a crucial demographic to target in order to decrease these fatalities, and third, we see that there are several simple steps that can be taken to help prevent driving fatalities.

Because teenagers are such a key demographic to focus on in the conversation surrounding roadway safety, driver education is a much-needed part of the discussion. Driver education is important for a number of reasons. First, it helps new drivers learn the rules of the road and how to safely operate a vehicle. Second, driver education can help reduce the number of accidents and fatalities on our roads. Third, driver education can teach teens about the dangers of certain driving behaviors, like those we discussed previously, and how to avoid those behaviors. It is essential for teenagers to receive driver education and understand the consequences of careless driving before they obtain their license and are responsible for operating a vehicle.

But once driver education has taken place and teenagers find themselves freely on the road, what steps should be taken to reduce the risk of driving related deaths? There are five things teens should always keep in mind behind the wheel to reduce their risk of causing a car crash:

1. Always obey the posted speed limit and never text or use your phone while driving.

2. Be extra cautious when driving in bad weather or at night.

3. Pay attention to your surroundings at all times and avoid tailgating or cutting off other drivers.

4. Never drive while impaired, including driving while drowsy or while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

5. Be patient and courteous to other drivers, even if they make mistakes.

The more these lessons are instilled in young drivers through parents, peers, and driver education courses, the more likely they are to remember them while on the road, and hopefully those lessons and understanding the consequences of their actions behind the wheel will motivate them to act responsibly while driving.

As a driver, I take my safety, my passengers’ safety, and the safety of those around me very seriously. I choose to always follow the five safe driving steps listed above when I drive, and I encourage others I drive with to do the same. Since the experience we discussed at the beginning of this essay, I have become more vocal when driving with friends about following safety measures, including keeping to the speed limit. No amount of silly competitive pride, no amount of admiration from your partner in the passenger seat, and no amount of time shaved off a drive is worth becoming part of a deadly statistic. As driver education programs continue to improve and help instill a sense of responsibility and caution into teen drivers, and as all drivers strive to follow the five steps listed above, I believe that we can drastically reduce the number of tragic deaths that occur on American roads.