Last week, from October 16th to the 22nd, was National Teen Driver Safety Week.  It is extremely important to bring awareness to this topic, as many young drivers struggle with driving safely due to their inexperience.  The statistics regarding student drivers is not in their favor, according to the National Safety Council: “half of all teens will be involved in a car crash before graduating from high school.”  Fortunately, there are precautions that can be taken to enhance the security of these young drivers and those who share the road with them.

By practicing with a parent and following the NHTSA’s (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s) “5 to Drive” rules, novice drivers will decrease the risk of being involved in an accident.  These statutes include:

1) No cell phones while driving

2) No extra passengers

3) No speeding

4) No alcohol

5) No driving or riding without a seat belt.

It is imperative that adolescents remain attentive and drive responsibly; strict household stipulations will contribute to a growth of this within the ever increasing population of new drivers.

Senior Makella Freud kindly shares some tips for safe driving: “Focus and pay attention on the road, don’t let anything or anyone distract you.  Also, do not drive too close to the car in front of you!”  In addition, when asked, she admitted that she felt “very few of her fellow classmates actually took driving seriously.”

It is crucial that beginner drivers realize the importance and potential consequences of actions that they take on the road.  For these decisions will not only leave an impact on the drivers themselves, but on the lives of others.

For more information on National Teen Driver Safety Week check out the National Security Council’s Website: http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/teen-driving.aspx?var=mnd