Mind Over Data

Briana Alvarado

Mind Over Data

Just like everything else that we wish to change or improve on in the world, we must first spend time learning, then we get to apply it to our environment. Arming drivers with the knowledge of the official rules of the road is the basis of this very cause. It is simple yet necessary for any safe driving initiatives and campaigns to be effective in our communities.

The ultimate goal here would be to make safe driving a norm despite the coming of age of the generation that grew up with phones—the world’s biggest distraction. One of the more effective steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths related to driving is to have the conversation and implement new legislation.

Picking up the phone while driving should be talked about with as much vigor as the crime of running a red light. Otherwise, if it’s not treated like the other laws, it will always feel optional.

My mom, for example, is my best friend, but she does not have the best driving habits. However, she is not the only one. It was her driving that helped me noticed that many mature drivers become too comfortable, which makes them inexperienced. Many times, she’s said that she could multitask because she has been driving longer, but she was making the mistakes she told me were life-threatening. Now, my mother and I look forward to even taking a defensive driving course online because it’s become clear that careful and alert driving is not about experience, but it’s about the application.

As a second-year driver, I have already taken up a few safe habits to help me stay focused and present while on the road. The first of which is my trusty ‘do not disturb’ mode on my iPhone. Friends and family know that I’m not ignoring their messages when they receive my automated message saying:

“Hey, I’m driving with Do Not Disturb While Driving turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going.”

This relieves me of the anxiety that typically arises when getting a message notification and the impulse to pick up my phone even when it’s not urgent. I’ve shared this feature with many of my fellow young drivers and even with my mother because it only takes one second for us to miss pedestrians, road conditions, traffic signals, or emergency vehicles.

Additionally, I like to trust my gut. As a new driver, there are moments when I feel rushed by other drivers, uncomfortable and nervous. When those feelings arise, I learned to trust them. Whether the response is to slow down, pull over, or to stay put until I feel ready to take off, I truly believe that knowing my limits is what made me a safer driver even when I couldn’t remember all of the rules. I share this tip with my friends because so often, we young drivers can feel pressured by other drivers, and the result could be fatal.