Passing your driver’s test is the first step to enjoying new freedoms as a teen. With your driver’s license in hand, you might feel like you can take on the world. Unfortunately, there are a lot of dangerous driving situations you can get into behind the wheel — especially as a new teen driver.
Here are four common teen driving mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Distracted Driving
Just like it sounds, distracted driving involves driving when you’re distracted and not focused 100% on the road. While most people think of cell phones, there are plenty of non-technology distractions that could put you in danger.
Eating while driving, loud passengers, and even dodging the sun puts you at higher risk of an accident. In 2022, over 3,300 people died in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.
Be sure to grab a snack, set your music, and send any messages before you start your car. If you have passengers, ask them to keep the volume down and avoid distracting you as you drive.
2. Improper Passing
As you know from your driver’s education, those lines on the road aren’t there for looks. Dashed lines generally mean you can pass between lanes when it’s safe, while solid lines mean no passing.
Ignoring these rules could put you and other drivers in danger. And if a cop sees you, you could even get a ticket for improper passing. For example, it might be tempting to skip traffic by using a designated bike lane to make a turn. Even if no bikers are around, you could still get an expensive ticket for failing to follow lane rules.
Unsafe passing on the road could also lead to traffic tickets or accidents. Any time you want to pass another vehicle, make sure you have plenty of sight distance ahead. Don’t pass if there is oncoming traffic, a curve in the road, or an upcoming hill. When it’s safe to pass, accelerate safely to get around the vehicle and move back into the right lane when you have enough space in front of the other car.
As a teen, it’s especially important to be extra aware when passing a school bus. You’re likely spending a lot of your driving time in school zones in the morning when you’re not totally awake or when you’re tired from a long day at school. Remember that it’s illegal to pass a school bus with its stop arm extended and red lights flashing.
3. Tailgating and Causing an Accident
Tailgating refers to driving too closely to the vehicle in front of you. You might not even realize you’re doing it before it’s too late and you cause a rear-end collision. According to data from the National Safety Council, rear-end collisions made up around 40% of all crashes in 2022.
Tailgating is so dangerous because you have way less time to react if the car in front of you suddenly stops or slows down. Imagine this: you’re driving behind a vehicle when an animal jumps in front of the other driver’s car. They slam on their brakes to avoid the animal. If you’re tailgating, you can’t stop in time to avoid hitting their rear end, even though you slam on your brakes.
4. Reckless Driving
Reckless driving can mean many things, such as swerving in and out of lanes or harsh braking. For many teens, however, most reckless driving tickets come from speeding.
Speeding is one of the most dangerous things you can do behind the wheel. In 2022 alone, speeding contributed to over 12,000 driving deaths. In most years, speeding makes up around one-third of motor vehicle fatalities.
When you speed, you increase your chance of losing control of your car and increasing the potential severity of a crash. Although you might think speeding will get you to your destination faster, the time you save speeding is surprisingly little.
How to Avoid Dangerous Driving Situations
What happens if you get a ticket for making one of these mistakes? A defensive driving course might be able to clear the ticket off of your record. The more you learn and practice defensive driving skills, the better your chances of avoiding dangerous driving situations in the future.
