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Teen perspective: students may not know it all about safe driving

Did you know that 50% of high school students say they text and drive? That is 50% of the teen population that is at risk of getting in an accident due to distracted driving. I originally found out about IKnowEverything at the FCCLA cluster in Omaha, Nebraska. At the presentation for IKnowEveryhing, I realized that most teenagers think they really do know everything about safe driving, when in reality, we know so little.

I brought the assembly to my school to spread awareness and show the risks of distracted driving. I want to make my community safer one step at a time and this was a huge leap. The event brought Upton and Sundance High Schools together to learn about distracted driving and the risks. The assembly consisted of a survey that questioned the students about how much they actually knew about distracted driving. The survey with intermixed with featured videos showing some of IKnowEverything's more notable ambassadors that support safe driving, including Shaquille O’Neal and Bella Thorne.

Many students learned that they weren’t always right about driving and were surprised by the facts. Many were surprised that an estimated 300,000 teens are injured each year in car accidents, or that in the first month of driving they are twice as likely to get in a crash as they are after two years of experience.  I think it affected the community in both Upton and Sundance by helping the students realize that changing the radio, glancing at your phone, eating, and even talking while driving are huge risks behind the wheel. I think the assembly helped make the community a safer place to drive and teens will think twice before they put themselves at risk. Just remember that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S, so please watch the road and be safe!  

Betty Terry is a student and FCCLA member at Upton High School in Upton, WY. She brought the IKnowEverything program to her high school to educate herself and peers on teen driver safety. 

*The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) or any Responsibility.org member.*