Safety is Key

Driving is a very exciting and major topic for teenagers; as teenagers all over the country look forward to obtaining their driving permits and licenses, it is also extremely important for them to be knowledgeable of the possible risks of irresponsible driving and the ways to prevent road accidents. However, not only teenagers must be informed on the topic of driving safety. All drivers of all ages must be educated so that these accidents can be minimized or altogether prevented. Driver education is very crucial, as it trains drivers on the rules and regulations of the road, and also teaches them the basic driving skills. If each driver is properly educated, then there is a higher chance that more drivers will be more vigilant and attentive on the road, thus preventing certain accidents.

Although driver education is relatively expensive, it is a very important part of learning how to be a safe driver. In California, driver’s education generally costs anywhere from $400 to $800, with classroom driving training ranging between $30 to $180, and actual road training costing anywhere between $50 to $150 per session. This may seem slightly costly, but some may not be aware that just a minor car crash can be even more costly. For example, a minor car accident can cost up to $3,000. On the other hand, a serious car crash could cost even more – around $500,000 due to property damage and accumulation of medical bills. Moreover, not only is a car accident financially costly, it may also lead to personal injuries that are painful, disabling, or even deadly. Thus, when weighing the benefits of drivers training, it is clearly shown that choosing to be safe is much more worth it than taking the risks.

Educating individuals on driving safety is not the only way to reduce the number of deaths related to driving. Another way of preventing road accidents is to discontinue allowing teenagers to drive. According to the CDC, in 2020, around 2,800 teenagers were killed, and another 227,000 teenagers were injured due to car crashes. Many of these crashes and accidents were due to inexperience, not using seat belts, distracted driving, speeding, and drug or alcohol use. More specifically, 32 drivers die every day (around 11,000 die yearly) just due to drug or alcohol use. Moreover, of the 11,000 who died, it is estimated that around 17% were teenagers, signifying that approximately 2,000 teenagers die early from driving under the influence of alcohol. Therefore, it would be beneficial to increase the minimum driving age from 16 to 18 years old, and enforce harsher penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol, and for not abiding by the traffic rules.

Personally, I have never been in a car accident; however, I have seen a friend’s mom drive irresponsibly. We were on the freeway, and she was driving around 90 miles per hour. The experience was in fact, very scary, as I was afraid that we would, and could, crash at any second. To make matters worse, sections of the freeway were moving slower, and she would weave from one lane to another so that we could reach our destination in a shorter amount of time. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, in 2020, 1,258 drivers were killed due to speeding. When drivers speed, they not only put themselves and their passengers in danger, but even the passengers in nearby cars and pedestrians may also be unnecessarily put in danger. A speeding car could crash into another car (or even a pedestrian), potentially endangering the lives of several individuals in the end.

In order to be a better and safer driver, I will remind myself not to be on my phone when I am on the road. To do this, I will turn on the “Do Not Disturb” function on my phone, so that when I am on the road, I will not receive calls and texts. I can also help others become safer on the road; for example, if I called them when they were on the road, I will tell them to call me back when they have reached their destination. I will also remind others to use their seat belts, to have another friend drive or to take Uber when they are intoxicated, and to pull over when they are too tired. When each individual takes responsibility to learn and abide by the rules of the road, everyone will have a safer driving experience, and many more lives can be saved each year.

Works Cited

CDC. “Teen Drivers and Passengers: Get the Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 Nov. 2022, www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/teen_drivers/teendrivers_factsheet.html. Accessed 25 May 2023.

NHTSA. “Drunk Driving.” NHTSA, United States Department of Transportation, Apr. 2023, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving. Accessed 25 May 2023.

NHTSA. “Speeding.” NHTSA, United States Department of Transportation, July 2022, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding. Accessed 25 May 2023.