Having your driver’s license is one of the most important things when starting out your senior year, not just for the freedom and ability to drive wherever and whenever, but also because of the important stuff that comes with it: getting a job on your free time, driving your younger siblings to and from school, leaving campus for lunch or open periods, and so on.

Having your driver’s license is also one of the scariest things when stating out your senior year. In 2016, there were almost 200 car accidents on the intersections of I-25 and Fillmore, and I-25 and Garden of the Gods. That’s almost 200 car crashes on streets we drive on everyday.  

A whopping 20% of all car accidents involve students, yet only 6.7% of all legal drivers are students/teenagers.

Dylan Carter, 12, was involved in a car accident on August 31st, when making a left hand turn from Fillmore onto Centennial Blvd. “[It was] like a roller coaster minus the fun. Then I smelled smoke, and the smoke smelled pretty bad. Then I was like, ‘Ruh roh, Raggy’ and I realized that I was just in a full-on car crash.”

Dylan then ran over to the woman in the car to see if she was alright. She complained of a pain in her left arm and stomach, which is when Dylan decided to call 911.

“I’m okay, the other driver is okay, and most of the Mountain Dews that were in the truck at the time are okay,” Dylan commented, after the paramedics arrived.

Jessica Stettler, 12, was also in a car accident driving up, you guessed it, Fillmore. Her accident took place within just the first few weeks of school starting.

“I was driving– I was not speeding, keep in mind– I was going up Fillmore hill, I passed King Soopers, I was approaching the Oasis Apartments. The turn lane, never in my four years of going to Coronado, it’s never been backed up that much. I don’t know if some cars had immediately gotten over, ‘cause you know, Coronado students do that but it backed up the line. As I’m going, I looked over at the construction for like .2 seconds, I wasn’t on my phone or anything, I wasn’t crazy distracted. I glanced over for like 3 seconds, and BAM, I rammed into the back of their car. I saw traffic was backed up up there, was not expecting it and slammed on my breaks, but I still rear ended them.

“Windshield shattered, airbags deployed. I was really scared, I thought that I died, I touched my face and was like ‘am I alive? Okay, I’m alive’ and then my immediate second big question was ‘is everyone in that car alive’. With that being said, just always pay attention, even if you just glance over for a second, even if you’re not on your phone, just pay attention on the road”.

Drive Smart week is scheduled to take place November 12-16. Until then, stay safe, Coronado.