How many times have you heard adults complain that all young people are bad drivers? Can’t count that high? Did it ever occur to you that they might be wrong? The statistics are disturbing - teens crash and die at more than twice the rate of adult drivers, but that still leaves a lot of smart teen drivers on the road. If you ever start believing that everybody’s doing it when in comes to racing, reckless driving, failing to wear seatbelts, and driving drunk or stoned take a look at the facts:

90% of teen drivers wear a seatbelt.
87% of teens don’t text while they drive.
80% of 12th grade students never use drugs or alcohol in a vehicle.
72% of high school students won’t ride in a car with someone who has been drinking alcohol.
71% of 12th grade students did not get pulled over for a traffic violation in the last year.

Most young people drive like they want to get where they’re going alive. That’s a good thing. But what about the rest of the drivers out there? How can you change their attitude toward driving? You can start by setting a consistent example and telling your peers that doing something stupid in their car is just not cool.
What makes a good driver? Is it skill? If you’re the fastest car through the s-curves without putting it in the ditch does that make you a good driver? Or does good driving take more than just technical skills? What about judgment? What about experience? Think about all the factors that combine to make a truly good driver - someone that not only has the skill to handle a car, but also the experience and judgment to know their limits.
The way we think about driving will determine how we drive. If enough of us start thinking about what it means to be a good driver, we won’t only change ourselves, we’ll change our whole culture. Are you ready?