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Hey y’all,

When I was 16, just a few months after getting my license, I got into a motor vehicle crash that crushed the entire left side of my car. Thankfully nobody was hurt, but as a new driver, I was left pretty shaken, to say the least. 

The fact is, being a new driver and learning the rules of the road is difficult even in the best of conditions. Luckily, there are steps we can all take to make sure the roads are safer for everyone -- starting with your family and friends. Keep scrolling to learn how these DoSomething members (and newly licensed drivers!) are helping their loved ones stay safe on the road this summer.

Let's Do This,

Jackie (she/her)

These DoSomething Members Are Making the Road a Little Less Stressful for New Drivers Like Themselves

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the way that many new drivers learn to drive, take their driver’s license test, and practice behind the wheel. Being a new driver is stressful enough, and the disruptions of the past year have added some extra anxiety to the process.

The good news is DoSomething members nationwide are equipping their friends with tools to stay calm and safe on the road through our Road to Self-Care program, powered by General Motors. 

“I recently completed my drivers ed and have heard numerous horror stories of lives being cut short due to road rage and letting outside influences and personal matters dictate how you drive,” says DoSomething member Safiya, 17. “I want to show people that life is full of struggles, but there are little actions you can do in order to not let the small mishaps and drama get in the way of your happiness and how well you drive!”

“Being an up-and-coming driver, I worry both about my own safety and the safety of others on the road. Having been a passenger in a plethora of different cars, I have had a front seat view of the detrimental effects of road rage and distracted driving,” says DoSomething member Brittney. “I believe I can do my part to spread awareness to the people around me. If I am capable of influencing one person, there is a possibility that I can save the lives of multiple people, and one of them could be me.”

“I am a pretty new driver (I've had my license for a little less than a year), so the open road can feel intimidating,” says DoSomething member Camryn, 17. “This checklist is important for me because driving anxiety is very common, and I think that if I can think back to this self-care list, I will eventually be less stressed about getting behind the wheel.”

Join Safiya, Brittney, and Camryn in the movement for road safety and mental health through our Road to Self-Care program. 

We just launched… a new partnership with Gap! Learn how you can donate to DoSomething through Gap’s Good Rewards Do Good program. 

Hear from even more DoSomething members… in our latest editorial, featuring 11 more young people who participated in our Road to Self-Care program.

My heroes today are… these young women competing at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

More Amazing Impact From the DoSomething Community!

We asked you to brag about the amazing stuff you’re doing, and you did not disappoint. Here are some of our favorite answers from the DoSomething community. (Psst...submit yours here!)

“I recently joined UNICEF UNITE and hopefully will be able to bring a UNICEF club to my vocational high school!!”

- Chari, 15, Maryland

“I was named Smokefree Star for the year at the Smoke Free Tennessee 2021 Summit hosted by Musicians for a Smokefree Tennessee.”

- Antonio, 18, Tennessee

“We created materials to educate the community of the newly instituted Tobacco Retail License (TRL) in the City of Pleasanton and Livermore. We have videos, infographics and a recorded presentation. During the process of creation, we had numerous focus groups with students, then with anti-tobacco coalitions, Alameda County Office of Education, as well as the Mayor Brown of Pleasanton who is actually the one who approved the ordinance. It was really challenging to reach the community and advocate, so we also emailed our contacts, posted on social media, and tagged our Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan. We are also currently running a survey to understand the impact of tobacco in Livermore, including opinion about the new TRL which was recently passed. We are invited to present to the Pleasanton Youth Commission to present our project when the school opens.”

- Connor, 14, California (along with the other interns of API-CHAT, Andrew, Arvind, and Meena)

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