As the school year progresses, more and more teens will begin to embark on a new journey. Teens will go to the DMV and test to get their permit, and nine months later, they will have their driver’s license.

But like so many other teens, will they get in an accident? According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 2014 nearly 2,300 teens ages 16-19 were killed and over 221,000 were treated in an ER for injuries from car crashes. In fact, each day, six U.S. teens ages 16-19 die from car crashes and 43% of these are first-year drivers.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. FCHS Driver’s Education teacher Tammy Lyons says that there are a number of things that new drivers should beware that new drivers (and even, all drivers) should avoid when hitting the road.

1) Eating and driving

Teens see their parents eating and driving all the time– usually because they are in a rush to get somewhere– but eating while driving is a major cause of accidents. For example, as a new driver, Senior Victoria Belew almost died thanks to a biscuit.  

Belew had left a breakfast biscuit in her passenger seat so she could show her cousin how delicious it was. Belew went around a curve and put her hand down to hold the biscuit which was sitting in the passenger seat and in the process, ran off the road, overcorrected, headed towards one bank, and overcorrected again. The next thing Belew knew, she was in the other bank and her car was totaled. Moral of the story: eat before you get in the car.

2) Texting and driving

One out of four accidents are caused by texting and driving. Many teens are absorbed with drama in their lives, but on the road, one second can change everything. When you look down at your phone, you won’t see the drunk driver coming in your lane, the car coming to a sudden stop in front of you, the deer running across the road, or the kid chasing a ball that into the street.

So put the phone down. Whatever is happening can wait until you stop.

3) Talking on the phone and driving

While you may not be texting while driving, talking on the phone while driving is still a bad idea, since your mind is focused on the conversation you are having and not 100% on the road. In fact, nearly 1.6 million crashes happen each year because of phone-use in the car.

Put your phone in the middle console (or even better, the backseat) and keep driving. Remember to turn off the sound and the vibrate also. If you really need to call someone while you’re on the road, find a safe place to park and then make the call.

4) Speeding

When you first begin to drive on your own, you may feel free and as if you won’t get caught doing anything. At first you may simply go a few miles over the speed limit…but then that may turn into ten, and before you know it, you’re speeding down the road like a bat out of hell.

But here’s the fact: The faster you go, the less time you have to react if a car brakes in front of you, plus it will be harder to take a curve. In 2014, 2,270 teens ages 16-19 were killed due to speeding. Even if the result of speeding is only a speeding ticket or a little fender bender, your insurance will go through the roof. So is it worth the risk?

5) Too many friends in the car

Teens who get their license are nearly always asked at some point by their friends to give them a ride somewhere. But if you are under 18, you can only have one passenger who is not a family member. And if you are pulled over by a police officer like this, you can get two tickets, one for the original reason you pulled over and one for breaking this passenger rule.

Another thing to keep in mind is that when you have friends in the car, they can pressure you into doing dangerous things, as well as distract you from what is happening on the road, such as speeding or running stop signs.

So remember Flucos, be safe on the roads. If you find yourself falling into one the traps above, stop. Your life is too valuable.