Name: Brenna Lynne Marchuk
From: Delta Junction, AK
Votes: 0
Driving
Death by Distraction
There
are many misconceptions associated with driving. Many adults do not
understand the dangerous implications of operating a motor vehicle,
and in turn, many teenagers also overlook these risks. When I first
started driving, I knew there was potential for involvement in an
accident, however, new data shows that I am now more at risk than
previous generations. This increase is due to an increase in
distracted driving. In the 21st century, we are constantly bombarded
with information and notifications, not only from our phones but now
from our cars as well. Cutting down on the use of technology while
driving will free up hands and minds to focus on the task at hand.
However, the significance of this burgeoning issue is often
underplayed or completely disregarded by the majority. The only way
to redress this flippant and widespread attitude is through
education.
“Texting
while driving” is a phrase I hear quite frequently. Advertisements,
teachers, and code of law tell drivers not to refrain from it. “It’s
dangerous,” they say. Soon enough, their mantra begins to sound
like a broken record. Despite hearing these warnings, people still
overlook the dire consequences of texting a friend from behind the
wheel. Why is this? Compared to attitudes towards DUI’s, drivers
are indifferent when they see another driver with a phone held to
their ear or posting a video of themselves driving on Snapchat.
People simply do not understand that now, distracted driving has
resulted in more accidents than DUI’s. The only way to remedy this
attitude is through education. Drivers ed courses, which I
was never required to take, may be key in reducing distracted
driving. Drivers ed could be rendered more useful if it
incorporated the testimonies of others in its curriculum. Personal
testimonies are often particularly effective in allowing drivers to
comprehend the detriments associated with distracted driving.
As
previously stated, I was never required to take a driver’s
education class. I passed the state-mandated test for my learner’s
permit and was on the road the same day. Living in rural Alaska, many
of my peers seem to overlook distracted driving simply because of a
lack of traffic in our isolated community. What poses a more
significant risk for Alaska residents is the wildlife. Moose, and
less commonly, caribou, bears, deer, buffalo, and smaller animals can
rush out of the forest and onto the road in an instant. Glancing away
from the highway can cause Alaskan drivers to collide with an animal
that has found itself in the path of a speeding vehicle. In many
cases, a collision as described has deleterious results. Over the
years, I have known many people who have hit a moose and either been
ejected from their vehicle or met by a bull’s lethal pair of
antlers as they broke through the windshield. It is not uncommon that
distracted driving is to blame. This is especially true during the
winter; it’s consistently dark and roads are slick, therefore
reaction time is key to avoiding an accident.
Many
times, almost everyday, I see people on their phones while driving.
During a track and field trip in middle school, my friend and I had
to remind the driver of a bus that texting while driving was not only
newly illegal in Alaska, but also immensely dangerous. She scoffed at
us and pressed send. Now, I see people posting videos to their
Snapchat or Instagram stories while driving on the road, speaking to
the camera as if they weren’t in control of a vehicle going 55
miles per hour down an icy road. This lack of attention while
operating a potentially deadly vehicle is utterly terrifying. An
innumerable amount of attempts have been made to combat distracted
driving: apps, campaigns, road signs, legislature… despite all
this, this technology-ridden safety epidemic is continuously
flourishing throughout America.
Educating
our youth is key in preventing more distracted driving accidents from
occurring. Drivers ed should focus more specifically on
this safety liability and include personal testimonies from the loved
ones and victims of distracted driving. We as a country need to
understand how we endanger others and ourselves by texting, calling,
or using our phones while on the road. We need to put our phones down
and focus on the task at hand, prioritize safety over socialization
and relieving our boredom. Implementing a more selfless approach to
all our actions will benefit not only others, who are kept safe when
an individual chooses to delay a response, and ourselves when we also
remain safe in turn.
