Double Down on Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is defined as “the act of driving while engaging in other activities which distract the driver’s attention away from the road. Distractions compromise the safety of the driver, passengers, pedestrians, and people in other vehicles.” Per the CDC website, “Nine people in the United States are killed every day in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.”

The CDC states three main types of distraction while driving: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distraction is taking your eyes off the road, Manual distraction is taking your hands off the wheel, and Cognitive distraction is taking our minds off driving. The US Department of Transportation reports that 23% of deaths worldwide are caused by cell phone use while driving. If you use a cell phone while driving, you engage in all three distractions. Whether you are texting, looking at social media, or shopping from your phone, your eyes are not on the road, both hands are not on the wheel, and your mind is focused on your phone, not the road in front of you.

As a high school student, cell phone use while driving is the biggest driving distraction, I have witnessed in my age group. We constantly have to have a phone in our hand and be accessible and plugged in at all times. But what steps can be taken to reduce car accidents from cell phone use? Some states have banned cell phone usage while driving altogether, reducing car accidents. When I researched for this essay, a unique idea presented itself. One way to minimize cell phone accidents is to create a cell phone app similar to the game Pokémon Go. The game has a feature that detects a driver’s speed. While in use, the game shuts down applications on the cell phone that are the most distracting for drivers. For example, the game does not allow gaming, texting, or visiting social media sites. The exceptions are the applications one needs to call emergency services, the map application, and music is still available. If a mandated law required all cell phones to have a built-in program like Pokémon Go that restricts what functions you can access on your cell phone while you are driving, it would drastically reduce cell phone-related car accidents.

I have not been involved in a wreck, but I’ve come very close once while driving with my mom. My mom works as a triage nurse and has to dispatch other nurses to see patients when they are sick. One time she was texting another nurse while driving and veered into the other lane with oncoming traffic. Had I not yelled out, she would have hit the other car, and I’m sure there would have been multiple injuries and lots of damage. This incident convinced me right then and there that I would not text and drive.

I have implemented several other things to help reduce driving distractions. I programmed my phone automatically to switch to DO NOT DISTURB mode while driving. I keep my focus on the road by not multitasking, such as eating, making a phone call, or trying to check emails or messages. When I am a passenger, I offer to help reduce distractions by assisting with navigation and adjusting music or temperature control. And after my near wreck, I learned always to speak up if I notice the driver is not paying attention. You must use your voice and educate people around you about the risks they take when their focus is not on the road.

The US Department of Transportation Reports on car accidents indicate that 77% are caused by not knowing the rules of the road, obeying speed laws, being unable to maneuver a car properly, and the state of mind of other motorists. Many years ago, high school students could take a driver’s education course in public schools. Unfortunately, this is no longer available to students in all public schools due to more emphasis placed on testing scores and budget cuts. Nevertheless, driving is crucial in everyday life. This writer believes driver education should be paramount to math, grammar, history, and science. In addition, a person needs preparation for the task and responsibility of driving. Understanding the laws, road rules, how to safely maneuver a vehicle, and the understanding responsibility of driving would save a person’s life and others. Therefore, let us reinstitute driver’s education in public schools.

The number of registered vehicles in the US is estimated to be nearly three hundred million. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) projects an estimated 42,915 traffic fatalities in 2021, a 10.5 percent increase compared to 2020 and the highest annual percentage increase in the Fatality Analysis Reporting. Therefore, the safety of our children, ourselves, and others should be paramount. New laws, restrictions, funding, and innovative cell phone applications must be implemented because lives are at stake daily.

Thank you for the opportunity to apply for the 2022 Driver’s Education Scholarship.