The Cost of A Split Second

Ding goes your phone while driving, you think I shouldn’t look at it but you do. In that split second, you swerve trying to read that one notification. By the time you look back up, you are almost in a head on collision. You quickly turn the steering wheel and bring yourself and the car back into safety. During this split second of answering the message, you have put both yourself and the people driving around you in danger.

     Distracted driving has become a part of our generation’s culture. We believe that we are capable of multitasking but in just that split second of answering a message, that could wait until later, puts us and others in a life or death situation. 

    As a result of these tendencies, driver education is a key piece in preventing the next generations from taking part in these dangerous acts. For example, in my own personal class, we listened and watched numerous videos on distracted driving and speeding. Through these videos specifically, it has made me question if reading a text is really worth putting yourself and the people around you in danger. In addition, driver education has instilled in me the importance of following the speed limit because the faster you go, the more likely you are to lose control, and the more likely you are to get into a car crash. With all of this taken into consideration, driver education plays a massive role in reducing the number of deaths because this class shows us what will happen if we overlook the rules of the road. In one split second our life could be put in danger and so could the people around us. That is why driver education is so important because it makes us aware.

    When it comes to my own driving, I do try my very best to stop myself from taking part in distracted driving. As a result, here are the steps that I have taken to solve each of my own distracted driving issues. The first solution is to add my favorite songs to the queue feature on Spotify so that I won’t have to switch the song. When it comes to looking at my phone in a line of cars, I try to remind myself that even though this isn’t a high pressure situation, it is still good to be completely aware. In the case of drinking and eating in the car, I make sure that my drink has a straw in it so I can grab it without having to look down to untwist the lid. In addition, when it comes to food, I only eat snacks that don’t require me to look down like a bag of chips or crackers. I have also made sure that I follow the speed limit even if that means that cars have to pass me because at the end of the day, I know that I am protecting myself and the people around me. Furthermore, I have tried to train myself that once I begin driving, my phone must remain in the cup holder until I make it to my location. If something does come up though and I need to contact somebody, I will pull over into the nearest parking lot so that I am not putting the people around me in danger.

    In addition to helping myself be the safest driver on the road, I also try to make other people aware of their own destructive driving tendencies. This is because even though I haven’t been in a car accident, I know that when my friends or family members look at their phone, they are pretty much playing with fire. As a result of this, I try to help them become aware of their tendencies so that everyone is safe. For example, if for some reason they need to look at their phone, I will always ask if it is something that I can help with because that split second of looking away from the road could be life or death. Although saying “please slow down” or “can I help you with whatever you need to do on your phone” may be awkward, it is a step that must be taken because your life and the people around you’s lives are in the hands of the driver.

    Living in this rapid day and age of technology has definitely made dangerous driving more prominent but with the help of driver education, my own reminders, and the friendly reminders of people around me, we will hopefully make these roads a safer place for everyone.