Distracted Driving

Jennifer Gonzalez

June 30, 2020

Drivers ed Initiative Award

The importance of safe driving techniques has been stressed since the invention of the automobile. Since the invention of the Ford Model T in 1908, Americans have embraced the freedom of driving a car. We are able to drive farther for work and explore our countries amazing treasures. The ever-expanding suburban communities are projected as part of the American Dream and cars are the only way that it can work. The American Driving Survey found in 2016-2017 that on average, drivers spent 51 minutes driving approximately 31.5 miles each day, making an average of 2.2 driving trips. Nationwide, drivers made 183 billion trips, driving 2.6 trillion miles, in 2016 and 2017 (Kim, W.,Añorve, V.& Tefft, B.C. 2019).Unfortunately, Americans still face a multitude of dangers with driving. Not only do we have natural threats such as rain (reduced visibility and hydroplaning risks), we are often distracted drivers (cell phones, sleep).

With the invention of mobile phones, Americans have become increasingly attached with staying connected seemingly 24/7. If one considers taking eyes off the road for a few seconds while going highway speeds, one will have passed the length of a football field. So much can happen in that distance. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association posts, “Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 2,841 lives in 2018 alone. Among those killed: 1,730 drivers, 605 passengers, 400 pedestrians and 77 bicyclists.” When you consider those numbers why would one even take that kind of risk? The NHTFA is making it’s mission to educate drivers and get people to commit to safe driving practices starting with a teen campaign on speaking up when friends get distracted.

Sleep deprivation is another very risky trend. It seems people are bragging on how little sleep they are getting and implying it’s due to a high productivity life. When in fact, people perform poorly with a lack of sleep. “An estimated 1 in 25 adult drivers (aged 18 or older) report having fallen asleep while driving in the previous 30 days.” (cdc.gov). The NHTSA reports that estimates that drowsy driving was responsible for 72,000 crashes, 44,000 injuries, and 800 deaths in 2013. Driving drowsy is likened to driving drunk. Drivers have a responsibility to be safe.

The best thing we can do is educate our drivers and learn to speak up when someone engages in dangerous habits. While various institutions have implemented marketing campaigns to fight distracted driving, the lessons start at home. We can practice good habits by putting away our cell phones and getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night. We can recognize the signs of fatigue such as frequently blinking and drifting from the lane. There is no harm in pulling over or asking for help. If more people realize that being late is far less important than staying alive, we can save thousands of lives.

References

Kim, W.,Añorve, V.& Tefft, B.C. (2019). American Driving Survey, 2014 – 2017. AAA Foundation for Traffic, accessed June 30, 2020

https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving, accessed June 30, 2020

https://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdrowsydriving/index.html, accessed June 30, 2020