Behind the Wheel: Combating Teen Distracted Driving for a Safer Future

Distracted driving led to the traffic death of over 3000 people in 2020 alone.¹ It is the number one cause of traffic accidents in general, and I believe this problem can be reduced with better driver education, technology, legislation, and modeling. However, even with these steps taken, a person’s individual responsibility for self-awareness is the only way to truly eliminate distracted driving. Comprehensive driver education can help build this awareness in new drivers. As a teenager and relatively new driver, it is critical for me to take an honest look at my own habits.

When people think of distracted driving, they probably think of texting. However, distracted driving also includes eating or drinking, connecting to music, or anything else that takes your eyes off the road. When a driver is distracted, their awareness of possible hazards is reduced and their reaction time is slowed. Personally, I try to set up my music before I put my car in “drive,” but there have been times I have picked up my phone to fix a connection or scroll through a playlist. 

Driver education is an important part of improving road safety conditions, especially for young and new drivers. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a study concluding that traditional driver education programs did very little to reduce teen accidents. They determined that this was because most programs focus only on rules of the road with a few hours behind the wheel. The study suggested that driver education could be improved by fully recognizing young drivers’ tendency to take risks. According to the study, driver education experts “emphasized the importance of introducing driver education within a broader framework of graduated licensing, making distinctions between developing the manual skills that are necessary to operate a complex vehicle and acquiring the expertise and judgment to recognize hazards and to exercise caution when driving under risky conditions.”² In my own experience, I learned to drive in risky conditions (such as poor weather) by being out on the road. It would probably have been safer if there were closed courses or simulations to practice driving in rain and snow before actually going out on the roads in these conditions. The problem of having many low-skill drivers on the road is only made worse by the epidemic of distracted driving.

There are technological advancements that have been made in an attempt to reduce or eliminate the problem of distracted driving, too. Many cell phones, along with apps, will automatically enter “Do Not Disturb” mode when motion is detected so that the driver will not be distracted by notifications. I have this feature on my phone in order to help me remember not to use it while I am driving my car. The problem is – this feature needs to be enabled by the user, and not everyone will take the time to adjust their settings. Also, we can bypass this setting by clicking “no” on the prompt that asks if we are the ones driving. The app relies on everyone’s honesty to be effective. According to a study released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in 2020, cell phone blockers only made a small difference in the number of traffic accidents.³ Technology companies can help increase the impact of these safety features by making them the default setting for phones and apps, and making the feature more difficult to bypass. 

Targeted legislation may also help reduce distracted driving. Many states already have a ban on hand-held devices while driving, such as my home state and the state where I will attend college (Illinois and Tennessee). However, most of the surrounding states do not have such a ban.⁴ The Governors Highway Safety Association provides resources for people in every state to advocate for legal changes that will make our roads safer. Now that I am a voter, I have a little more influence as a constituent and will be able to keep encouraging my representatives to update this legislation as technology evolves.

Finally, we all have a personal responsibility to lead by example to eliminate distracted driving and encourage others to follow the rules of the road. Parents should not use their phones while their children are in the car – not only for safety reasons, but in order to model correct driving behavior. Everyone, including teens who are driving with their peers, should demonstrate self-control from checking notifications. These actions send a message and encourage safer driving habits among the people we know and love. When my friends and I are driving together, we have a “designated texter” who is not the driver. That person will handle any phone notifications or navigation assistance that is needed. This idea came from the concept of a “designated driver,” which came about as a response to the epidemic of drunk driving.

Together, we can make streets safer for everyone by creating a culture that promotes distraction-free driving. Turn on Do Not Disturb. Contact your local lawmakers to enact appropriate legislation. Set an example for others with your own behavior. Let’s reduce the number of distracted driving injuries and deaths on American roads.