Imagine. You’re a young student going about your day driving home. You innocently glance at your phone for just a second to check your notifications. The moment you look up at your car, its speed and the slow reaction time of your foot to the brake results in a huge traumatizing crash. Pieces of your car and the car ahead of you fly everywhere. Your body slams into the wheel, and you are instantly in pain. None of this was on purpose. You had only looked down for a moment. It wasn’t your fault. Or was it?
Interestingly enough one thing students at the school have in common is car drama. Many students at school have been involved with car accidents such as fender benders, side impact collisions, t-bones and more. Students have either been victim to or have caused accidents both on school grounds and off. There are plenty of reasons why this could be the case: an important need to get home quickly, distraction, or maybe weather conditions. None of this is always the student’s fault, but accidents at our age can be so unfortunate and scary. Many of us have been driving for less than two years. Although some are knowledgeable about driving, there are some things people cannot always predict. Parents had to have trusted their child to drive, and after making a mistake such as an accident, it can be hard to learn to trust them again.
“Being the parent of a teenager in an accident is hard because you want to scold them and tell them what they did is wrong, but at the moment I’m sure they are upset and well aware that they did something wrong. I mainly was worried about the state of my child. Of course it’s a shame the car was ruined, but as long as my child is unharmed, I am happy,” said parent Raymond Ongalo.
Parents would have to feel comfortable letting their child drive again and rebuild the trust the child may have lost.
“My parents mostly cared about if I was okay or not when the accident happened. I would say now they trust me a bit less with driving. I think they just wanted me to make better decisions,” said senior Miguel Covarrubias.
It’s not always the case that it is the teenager’s fault. It’s common for other people to not pay attention as well.
“So it was my fault. I went through a light when I shouldn’t have because I wasn’t paying attention,” said senior Camden Blackwell. “Luckily everyone was okay. Physically no one was hurt.”
Accidents are extremely unfortunate, but miraculously when no one is hurt, that is what ends up being most important. Even if a teenager is being irresponsible or unserious, parents mainly care for their child’s safety.
“My mom was upset because it was her car, but she was more happy that everyone was okay. My parents knew it was just an honest mistake because I wasn’t speeding or on my phone,” Blackwell said.
Besides the accident itself, what happens afterward is just as scary. Teens have to deal with police and insurance; some may even have to go to court. After a traumatizing experience, insurance and other ordeals can be difficult to go through alone.
“I did have to go to court. It ended up being deemed my fault, but we both agreed it was kind of both of us,” Covarrubias said.
“I didn’t get a ticket or charged or anything, but I had to go to court. The party didn’t show up, so it was basically just no contest,” Blackwell said.
Another factor to accidents besides law enforcement and court is the insurance and expense aspect of it.
“I do actually have to pay for the cost of fixing my car myself, and it’s pretty expensive. It’s going to be around $1,100 to fix the damage,” Covarrubias said.
Expenses are a stressful part of accidents. It can be a debate between fixing the damaged car or buying a new one, which can impact a family heavily.
“I think the accident made me more cautious of situations, but I still let my teen drive around and do what they needed to, especially after they proved the accident was clearly a mistake, and we all make mistakes,” Ongalo said.
Accidents though can also cause a long lasting effect on how others view the driver. Parents, peers, and friends can be afraid to drive with a driver after an accident.
“I think some people definitely drive with me less because of the accident, but it’s kind of half and half. It does have its perks, though. I never really have to drive people. It’s more like people make jokes about it rather than actual concern,” Blackwell said.
Overall, besides the negative results of an accident, it can actually cause some improvements in life. Some say they have learned how to avoid past mistakes they made and have improved their driving skills as a whole.
“I would 100 percent say the accident has made me a better driver. I used to drive not recklessly, but I would speed a lot. I am definitely more cautious going through intersections,” Blackwell said.
Accidents can cause a huge change in families and their dynamics. A lot can happen from a small mistake, so it is vital to stay vigilant and sharp. Accidents can happen in the fastest second and can be avoided by doing something as simple as putting your phone away or paying more attention. Avoid all the drama and expenses of being in a car accident. Pay more attention and be responsible.
