Distractive Driving

Distractive Driving

Netra Ellyce Whiteman

No matter what age, driving gives people the feeling of invincibility and freedom, whether that’s with a teenager who finally knows how to drive and can be more independent or an adult who wants to take a road trip to clear their minds. But what drives sometimes fail to consider is how many distractions there are that could possibly harm them or others on the road; how easily it is to forget about daily unconscious actions while driving. According to the CDC “more than 32,000 people are killed and 2 million are injured each year from motor vehicle crashes.” When I look at these numbers, both the amount of deaths and injured citizens in the United States, it baffles me at the amount and forces me to interpret what I do daily behind the wheel that might distract me.

What steps can we take as a society and as an individual that can possibly reduce the number of deaths and injuries as a result of driving? In my opinion, there are multiple different variations of actions one can take in order to reduce these numbers: not texting, not driving under the influence, always looking through your mirrors before turning or changing lanes, always wearing a seatbelt, to name a few.

What steps do I and can I take to be a better and safer driver as well as help others become safer on the road? I’ve had my driver’s license for about two years now and I know that there are things that I do and don’t do when behind the wheel. Right away when I get into the car, I will usually turn off my ringer, put my phone in my purse, and place the purse on the passenger seat or behind the passenger seat. This is a way in which I try to prevent myself from scanning my phone while driving. I also try to advocate for this as well with my parents. There have been multiple times where my mom or dad will be texting and/or calling someone without Bluetooth, and I always try to politely remind them not to. We are all fallible people, but we need to make sure we keep on top of our bad driving habits.

The problem with this crisis; however, is that most of the things we can do as individuals to prevent distraction is self-directed. Even as there are differing laws based on distractive/dangerous driving in a variety of different countries, people will still go against those laws. Thus, we all need to be individually educated on the dangerous effects we can have against ourselves and others around us behind the wheel. Otherwise, this crisis will never stop. We need to be determined to make a change for the better of all of our lives.