People have probably seen at least one car accident in their life, or have even been involved in a car accident. In 2022, teens made up 12 percent of police reported car crashes, as well as 8.1 percent of fatal crashes, according to AutoInsurance.com
Such teens include those from Oakville High School, including Cassidy Welch (12). During her junior year, Welch was voted “Worst Driver” by her classmates.
“My two accidents that I had were both at Oakville, so I feel like everyone saw that,” Welch said. “So they were like, oh, she must be really bad at driving.”
Both of Welch’s accidents involved a car backing into her.
“So my first [accident] was after one of my softball practices,” Welch said. “I was pulling out and I went around the Gym A lot…One of my friends backed into me…”
The first accident resulted in around $5,000 in damages. The second crash only had minor damages.
“I was backing out and then another girl was backing out,” Welch said. “We just hit each other.”
Fortunately, the second crash was easily fixable, but Welch hopes that people don’t get distracted on the road.
“Please pay attention when you’re driving and don’t be like me,” Welch said.
According to the CDC, teens under 21 make up the most amount of distracted drivers at 9 percent. Nearly 40 percent of teens in 2019 admitted to texting or emailing while driving, and distracted driving played a role in a hit and run involving Joseph Kister (12).
“…I was in the parking lot of South Technical High School and I was walking to my car,” Kister said. “Next thing I know, some girl from Mehlville…hit my legs and then she drove away without regard for me at all.”
Kister experienced some pain for the next few days that kept him from playing sports, among other damages.
”There was a dent [on her car] because my hand hit it,” Kister said, “but other than that, her car was completely okay.”
Kister does not plan to press charges, as the cops showing up to her house was enough, but knows to be more cautious.
“It just changed my whole perspective of walking in the parking lot and how safe I feel really walking,” Kister said.
Gwen Johnson (12) also questioned how safe she was driving following her crash.
“I was dropping my friend off and whenever I turned into her neighborhood, another car hit me,” Johnson said.
The car was speeding when it crashed into Johnson’s and a neighbor’s cars. The accident ended up totaling Johnson’s car, while the other cars were less damaged.
“The front and the back of my car were completely destroyed,” Johnson said, “and then there was fluid leaking out of it.”
Johnson and her friend were unharmed, but she encourages others involved in accidents to not be scared of driving.
“If you’re the one who’s driving and you get into a car accident,” Johnson said, “don’t be scared to get back on the road again, because that’s something I’ve struggled with.”
