No one expects to get into a car accident. No one expects to be hit by another driver. Senior Audrey Nilssen did not expect either one as she drove and decided to make a left at an intersection.

“I probably should have waited,” Nilssen said.

As Nilssen made the turn, another driver sped towards her. Moments later, the other car crashed into the rear of Nilssen’s two-door Mini-Cooper. Fortunately, Nilssen and her three passengers were unharmed.

Nilssen and the other driver were both at fault for the accident. She admitted that she was not used to driving the stick-shift and three-pedal Mini-Cooper.

“My parents told me not to take the car, but I did anyway,” Nilssen said.

Many teens do not have the same lucky fate as Nilssen. In 2008, more than 4,000 teens died in car crashes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Motor, vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death of teens. 

Eighty percent of crashes are caused by distractions. These include texting, eating, changing the station or reaching down to pick up something.

“A big distraction for me is texting, calling and trying to change my iPod all at the same time,” senior Jasmine Myers said.

Other students around school also admit texting is their biggest distraction.

“You hate when they ignore [texts], so you don’t want to ignore them,” junior Lauren Gingold said.

Texting while driving has become a serious problem. According to a survey by Allstate Insurance, 82 percent of teens claim to use cell phones while 49 percent consider texting very or extremely dangerous.

Eighteen states and Washington D.C. have bans for texting while driving. The Wisconsin Senate has passed a ban on texting while driving. The assembly is currently reviewing the bill.

Texting is not the only distraction for teen drivers. Passengers also cause a distraction. In an Allstate survey, 44 percent of teens admit that they drive better when alone. 

“Other people in the car are a big distraction because you have your friends in the car, and you’re not really paying attention,” junior Emily Daly said.

Not every accident is the driver’s fault. Sometimes other drivers, who drink, pay less attention or speed cause an accident. 

Senior Julia Beirold was involved in a car accident because another driver decided to drink and drive.

Beirold was stopped at a red light when she noticed a car barreling towards her in her rearview mirror. 

“The car was literally inside the back of my car,” Beirold said.

Beirold and her passengers suffered whiplash but no other injuries. The damages to the car amounted to $6,000. The other driver was not given a ticket but had to pay for the expenses.

Safe driving skills may take time to learn, but they are a necessity. Drivers should not only be aware of not only their actions, but the actions of other drivers.

“You can’t always trust that the other driver will put on their blinker,” Beirold said.

Good driving skills include minimizing all distractions and being cautious.