A new school year means that everyone can (hopefully) advance to the next year of highschool. The seniors have “senioritis”, the juniors have loads of stress, and the sophomores have… their drivers licence. Yes, they can legally drive. So, what does that mean for the rest of AHS? 

This means that your beloved parking spot could be taken by an underclassmen, which also means that leaving for lunch will be extra hazardous. Although some of the sophomores will drive safely, there will always be a few new drivers who act like they own the road. So, what are the dangers of teen driving?

According to cdc.gov, 48% of teens pass away from unintentional injuries. Of that 48%, 73% of deaths are caused by motor vehicle accidents. The risk of a motor vehicle accident is much higher for 16-19 year olds than any other age group. Statistics from 2016 show that 2,433 teens were killed in motor vehicle accidents. This means that six teens passed away everyday from a motor vehicle accidents. 

Why is the risk of an accident higher for 16-19 year olds? This is because teen drivers are prone to underestimate the danger level of a particular situation. Drivers in this age group also have the lowest percentage of seatbelt use. In a 2017 survey that was administrated by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), only 59% of teens reported that they always wear their seatbelt. 

Because of these shocking statistics, please make sure to be careful on the road, and always buckle up. The sophomore class has one message for the upperclassmen, though. Please be patient with us sophomores. We’re learning!