By Kat Mann, Opinion Editor
As teenagers on the verge of adulthood, we are in an age group that likes to take risks, incompetently feeling like nothing bad could ever happen to us. Are we exposing ourselves to risky situations because we are not fully aware of the extent of the danger, or are we searching for a feeling that comes from experiencing a dangerous situation?
Adolescents have this idea in their minds that their normal routines will never change unless they decide it should. We base decisions we make strictly off of past experiences we’ve had, and that can often times take away our ability to think critically, especially if we are unaware of the potential consequences. No human is invincible, and yet we’re so quick to try new things that could potentially hurt us or our futures.
While we may think that we will always be in control of ourselves, the harsh reality is that we can’t control everything around us. It’s easy to forget, especially in the heat of the moment when you’re in that mindset of, “it could never happen to me.”
That mindset plays a big role in so many situations. An increasing number of teens are using e-cigarettes and vapor pens and aren’t aware of all the dangerous chemicals in them or they just don’t think the product will harm them.
Teen drivers are more likely to speed and get into accidents than adult drivers. Only 60 percent of teens who have sex use a condom. Even hearing the statistics, horror stories, and tragedies, teens still choose poorly, believing the odds are in their favor.
But recent, recurring lakefront tragedies in Kenosha, Wis., have prompted calls for greater pier safety. According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a non profit group that tracks drowning statistics and teaches water safety classes, Lake Michigan is considered the most dangerous of all the Great Lakes due to currents, riptides, and wind. There have been 723 drownings in the Great Lakes since 2010, with 100 reported to date in 2018. Thirty-three drownings have been reported in 2018 in Lake Michigan, four of which were in Kenosha.
As the city continues its efforts to develop safety measures to prevent accidents in Lake Michigan, a Kenosha News article dated Sept. 21, 2018, stated that a couple contacted the police after observing two young men jump off the North Pier into Lake Michigan numerous times. That’s less than a month after Indian Trail High School & Academy student, Donovan Anderson, lost his life in the same lake waters. Since downtown Kenosha’s lakefront is so heavily populated by teens, it’s extremely important that we are aware of the dangers, especially in light of such recent events.
The city is responding to public outcry for safety improvements in high risk areas. Kiosk sets featuring life rings and rescue ropes will be placed at the north and south piers, and at Pennoyer Park where the Pike River empties into Lake Michigan along with bilingual warning signs. A proposed ordinance calls for $1,000 fines or 90 days in jail for anyone caught vandalizing safety equipment. Additionally, the Kenosha Police Department will be spending $3,500 to equip all police vehicles with rescue rope throw bags.
While these safety measures may be long overdue, the best way to honor those whose lives inspired the need for them would be to educate yourself and others regarding lake safety and trust that the risk is too great.