Actions to Prevent Distraction

It was only a second they said. They thought it was a green light the last time they looked up. These were the words of a distracted driver who ran a red light and crashed into my friend and I.

Two years later, and I still think of the crash everytime I drive. Luckily, everyone was alright, but I replay the moment in my mind and think ‘What if?’ What if my friend hadn’t seen her coming and avoided a direct head to head collision? What if we were moments later?

As a new driver at the time, this surreal event put into perspective the consequences of distracted driving. Ever since, I have taken steps to prevent myself from taking my eyes off the road. I realized in that moment that life can be taken away quickly, and it only takes a second of my distraction to cause a disaster.

I do not practice distracted driving because I am not driving only myself. The lives of my passengers, as well as anyone in the road, are trusting that I am being a safe, responsible driver. Most importantly, I value every life on the road and want to take steps to educate on safe driving. Driving is a privilege I take seriously, as it not only affects me, but anyone else on the road.

To combat distracted driving, I leave the house early to focus solely on the road and not be in a rush. I limit myself to one passenger so I won’t be distracted by other people in the car and also tell them to act appropriately. Furthermore, I preset my playlist, check my mirrors, and put my phone in the cupholder out of sight before I pull out of the driveway to maintain safe driving. I have learned through driver’s education that the small habits we change as drivers can be the difference in preventing a crash. By taking a few extra minutes before leaving the driveway, I am reducing my chances of being distracted on the road.

To reduce the number of deaths related to driving, action must be taken individually and cumulatively to have a significant impact. Cellphone use and texting is a leading cause of accidents on the road. Laws banning cellpone use while driving should be proposed to deter drivers. While these laws will have benefits in reducing accidents and deaths, I don’t think they will be enough to bring lasting, significant change in combating distracted driving. Even with enforcing these laws, getting punished for texting and driving will be too late to reverse the consequences of an accident. Others fators, like passengers, can distract drivers. To truly bring a lasting impact on road safety, it is up to every individual driver to take personal initiative and be responsible drivers. We must educate ourselves on road safety and how to avoid evnts that can lead to accidents. Driver’s education opened my eyes to the importance of safe driving, as well as the harsh realities due to a driver’s error. Through driver’s education, I have become more aware of the dangers and necessity to drive safely.