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Contributed commentary by Evan Magnuson of the West Creek High School JROTC program.

Every day, almost all students take their morning journeys to school in some sort of vehicle. Whether it be the bus, a parent’s vehicle, or their own, the roads will be filled with exhausted students uneagerly trekking to their campus. After school, these same students will head either to their homes, to their jobs, or to their athletic events. Once, again the roads are filled to the brim with students.

These students are very young and inexperienced drivers, most acquiring their license the moment they’re legally able to. All of these students are always filled with a certain blend of excitement and nervousness, all driven by a new level of independence. However, most of these students aren’t even aware of the dangers that are present on the road. Even further, young people aren’t aware of the dangers they bring while they drive.

Within the past three years, young high school students have been a part of the largest demographic for victims of fatal vehicular accidents, not just in Montgomery County, but in the entirety of the state of Tennessee. It doesn’t get any better on a national level as well and eight teenagers die a day in America from vehicular incidents. There isn’t a moment of peace for young drivers either, as night driving increases the risk of a youth-related accident by 300% in comparison to older drivers.

There is simply no getting around the fact that youth drivers are the most susceptible to accidents. Teenage inexperience causes young drivers to underestimate the consequences of things like not wearing seatbelts (which 43% of high school students admit to not wearing, or killed 56% of teenagers in all reported crashes), distracted driving (which 39% of surveyed high schoolers admit to doing in the past month), speeding (which is the cause of fatal crashes in 35% of male drivers and 18% of female drivers), and drinking and driving (which killed 29% of teen drivers).

So, whenever a teenage driver gets behind the wheel, no matter if they’re a friend of yours or a stranger, ensure they drive safely. Otherwise, their life, or those around them, could change drastically, or even end prematurely.

Evan Magnuson