The Fallacy of Experience

At the start of my freshman year at college, I joined an organization. With an event being held off-campus, I took a ride with a nice upperclassman. As we began to drive, I noticed the driver texting messages while navigating the winding streets of downtown Austin. With the feeling of unease coming upon me, I held back my words expecting him to put his phone down for the rest of the trip. I was shocked to see he continued to hold his phone in one hand and the steering in the other hand for the majority of the time. Realizing this was a habit of his, I politely questioned the driver whether he agreed that texting while driving was dangerous or not. He answered that we were safe because he texts while driving many times and therefore had gained the skill of multitasking.

Just like my upperclassman friend who drove me that evening, I have many moments where I believe I am skilled enough to multitask while driving whether that be checking a phone or changing the music. As drivers spend more time on the road, we all can admit feeling more immune to risk due to our gained experience. However, the fallacy is real. Whether we have just gained our permit or have driven for 20 plus years, we all face the same amount of risk while on the road. Drivers ed is important to realize we all can take precautions to prevent any potentially fatal accidents. As drivers, we, myself included, can adopt a personal and absolute no-phone policy when the vehicle resides under motion. Removing the visual and brain-processing distractions creates a safe atmosphere with full attention on driving, greatly reducing the risk. As we continue to drive, continuing to educate ourselves of risk proves vital to staying alert and cautious.

As both a driver and a passenger, I should’ve told the upperclassman driver of the imminent risks of texting while driving. Because of my experience, I can ask fellow drivers to stay off their phones because I know my actions come out of love and respect for their lives. By educating myself and others, we can ensure a higher level of safety and continue to enjoy the joys in life.