Distracted/Irresponsible Driving

Picture this. A young, teenage girl aspires to build a successful life in the medical field when she is older. To achieve her dreams, she takes classes at a college nearby. She takes on a job at Chili’s to support herself and her family. She is loved by many and holds a great relationship with her friends and family. She had just begun her journey on life and had a promising future ahead of her. This young girls’ dreams were abruptly halted. As one of her best friends prepared to take a left turn onto the street she lived on, she was unprepared for the disaster that lay ahead. The young, teenage girl’s life was taken away from her. She died instantly as a car crashed into the side of their car. Her family’s life was changed forever. They were never going to be able to hug her or hear her voice again. Her friends would never be able to spend time with her anymore. She would never be able to fulfill her dreams. One accident led to the death of this promising teenager. 

As I sat in the funeral home and looked at the lifeless body in front of me, I was deeply saddened and held great remorse for her family. She was only one year older than me, as she was 19 when she passed. This made me realize just how short and unfair life truly is. Her future was snatched away from her because of someone else’s careless decision. The best friend who was driving the car did not pay attention to the color of the streetlight. It was reported that the girls were taking a picture at the light. She claimed the light was green, indicating that it was clear for her to turn. This minuscule moment of irresponsibility and carelessness led her to drive into oncoming traffic, where a car hit the young girl. Physically, the best friend suffered from a few small scratches and bruises. However, mentally she was torn. She held no intent to purposefully get her best friend killed. She would still be forced to live with the guilt of being the reason for her best friend’s death. 

The picture described initially seemed like a movie scene or nightmare. However, this occurrence is far too common in society today. 

My personal experience with irresponsible driving has opened my eyes to the duty that we as humans have. We must make sure we care for ourselves and our neighbors. No text message, phone call, or tweet is worth losing a life over. 

After this accident, I have promised to pay close attention to my surroundings when driving and never let a phone interfere with driving. 

While I cannot predict the future, I know that I never want my cellphone and carelessness to be the reason for my death or anyone else’s when driving.