Stepping Towards Safety

Distrcted driving remains an issue that both teenagers and adults struggle with on a daily basis. Unfortunately, because of distracted driving, many lives have unnecessarily been lost. Thankfully, I have never been in or seen a car accident, but I have experienced friends and family driving irresponsibly on the road. Some of my family members have a habit of driving and using their phones, whether it be for work calls or to send a text before they forget. Although they are older than me and allegedly better drivers, this is still dangerous. In order to help prevent the loss of lives due to driving, driver education should focus more on addressing the issue of distracted driving, providing data and statistics to show students the dangers of it. Additionally, passengers should be attentive when riding in a car, phone companies should take a stand on the issue, and DMVs should ensure that individuals are still able to drive safely.

As far as drivers education is concerned, there should be more of a focus on the data and statistics of death related to distracted driving. The education generally focuses on rules of the road, how to drive, and what curfews exist. However, oftentimes they neglect to highlight how dangerous being behind the wheel can be. An individual is not only in charge of keeping themselves safe, but they are responsible for anyone else who may be in the car and those they may encounter on the road. Driving is a dangerous activity and drivers’ education does not emphasize that enough. As stated on the DMV education scholarship page, around 34,000 people die annually because of distracted driving. This statistic shows how an individual behind the wheel holds the power of life in their hands. If one drives irresponsibly, they put themselves as well as those who are also on the road with them at risk.

Drivers’ education should also provide ways to limit distracted driving. In the complicated world we live in today, it is nearly impossible to leave your phone for a day and not have a dozen emails, texts, or missed calls. Because of this, many people feel the need to text or all and drive. There are ways the driver can eliminate this temptation such as putting their phone in the center console or glove compartment. Passengers in the car can also help by being attentive to the driver’s needs. If the driver feels a situation is urgent, the passenger can call or text for them. By doing this, the driver feels a sense of peace because what they needed was taken care of, and they are staying safe on the road.

In addition to passengers, phone companies can take active steps towards reducing the number of deaths related to distracted driving. On my phone, I have a do not disturb while driving function that I activate to prevent myself from looking at my phone while driving. I am still able to use Google Maps when driving, but other notifications like texts or calls do not show up on my screen. I believe in order to reduce the number of deaths related to distracted driving, this function should be automatically enabled by phone companies. It is possible to get out of this mode if need be, so it is not a safety hazard. This would benefit drivers by preventing the temptation to check their phone while driving.

Lastly, DMVs should do regular check-ins on individuals who have their license. A drivers’ test that tests individuals on the rules of the road should be taken and re-taken every time an individual has to renew their license. Although this may be a burden for some, it helps ensure that drivers on the road are fully aware of the rules. In addition, the physical driving test should have to be taken throughout the course of one’s life, depending on their driving record. The better one’s driving record is, the less they need to take the test. This ensures that individuals are remaining safe while driving throughout their lives.

In a perfect world, drivers would not feel the need to check their phones while driving and would be able to leave it in the center console or glove compartment without a problem. However, in reality, the temptation for individuals to check what they may be missing remains, which is why it is important for passengers to stay attentive and have phone companies get involved. By taking these steps as a society, we grow closer to decreasing the number of lives lost because of distracted driving.