In The Driver’s Seat

Something about phones never fails to capture our attention: they are convenient, portable devices with another world beyond the blue screen. And yet, it is exactly what we love about phones—the pop-ups, the notifications, the endless entertainment—that make them incredibly dangerous to handle behind the wheel. From among the many modes of cell phone usage while driving, texting ranks as the most distracting and dangerous of them all. Causing nearly 390,000 injuries per year and playing a part in 21% of all fatal teen crashes, texting while driving presents a prevalent problem that threatens the safety of our roads.1 One rainy day along a busy road, we were hit by another car whose driver had, unfortunately, been texting while driving.

 It had been nighttime, and we had just rolled into a stop before a traffic light. The rain had let up into thin, silent lines, detectable only in the halo of light enveloping the lampposts and by the occasional droplet cutting a jagged blur across our windshield. In the backseat, my head was pressed against the window and my eyes were drooping, drooping with tiredness. Then, bang. We were thrown forwards in our seats as the sound of crunching metal came from both front and behind—a car had slammed into us with enough force to propel us into the car in front of us. I remember the seatbelt digging sharply like knives into my neck, and I was fully, completely awake. Thankfully, no one had been hurt, but there was a deep well now in the trunk of our car where the metal had sunken in. I also found out later after we called the police, that the man who had hit us had been texting while driving and had not noticed the light turn red. When he finally did, it was too late: he couldn’t stop fast enough on the asphalt coated by rain. With this accident, we became part of a statistic—part of the 1 out of every 4 car crashed in the US caused by texting and driving.

One of the most important ways to reduce the number of car crashes and fatal accidents on the road is to eliminate cell phone use while driving: our accident could’ve been prevented had the driver behind us put down his phone. However, this can only be achieved through the combined effort of both the law and the individual. On the level of the law, 48 states and D.C. have legislature regulating texting and cell phone use behind the wheel.3 However, this is not nearly enough. First, the repercussions for a texting or cell phone violation differ widely between states. While drivers in Oregon may face up to $1000 in fines and Illinois drivers may see a 10-point addition onto their record, my home state of Maryland only gives fines up to $500 and a one-point charge. Even worse, states like Montana have not even prohibited texting while driving. Thus, we can start by building upon current legislature to further develop measures that will deter drivers from using their phones while driving. States can raise the consequences of texting or cell phone violations by setting high fines like Oregon, implementing significant point additions like Illinois, or by increasing the cost of repeat offenses. Hopefully, drivers will respond to these greater repercussions with less inclination to reach for their phones. In addition, governments can supplement direct legislature with initiatives to raise awareness. Phone usage can be added as questions onto permit tests, be made a mandatory unit in driver education programs, or be posted to signs along major roads. States governments can also provide formal guidelines on how to reduce distractors on the phone and add easy-to-find links on their motor vehicle websites for drivers looking for more information.

While the government plays a significant role in correcting the alarmingly high rates of cell phone usage on the road, this burden must also be shared by drivers. Evidently, we need to change our mindset. American drivers notoriously suffer from overconfidence: most think of themselves as better-than-average drivers, and this may inadvertently cause more dangerous driving behaviors.4 Hence, learning to identify and fight overconfidence behind the wheel will help drivers identify when they may be placing themselves and others in danger. Moreover, many drivers, and especially younger drivers, tend to underestimate the severity of using phones while driving. Young drivers reported the highest rates of phone usage in crash or near-crash incidences, and yet around a quarter of those aged 18-34 think that texting has no impact on their driving.5 Thus, drivers must take the initiative to research the dangers of phones in the car, understand why this is an urgent issue, and educate themselves on proper handling of cell phones in emergencies. Drivers may even develop their own routines on how to stay safe: enabling the “driving mode” feature on phones, ensuring that all urgent messages and settings are addressed (including checking music and traffic updates or pausing text conversations), and placing the phone in a hard-to-reach place, just to name a few. Once becoming a safe driver, drivers can share their experiences and advocate for the same practice in others. They can spread the word through informative mediums (educational posters, videos, social media posts), hold conversations about the dangers of phones while driving upon seeing it occur, or discuss the issue in academic settings such as driver education. Through these suggestions, drivers can pitch into the effort to create safer roads.

On the topic of driver education, it is incredibly important that drivers take driver education as a way to further ensure their safety on the road. Although driver education is often seen as an annoying and time-consuming hurdle along the path of obtaining a license, it is a potentially life-saving course that is fundamental for new drivers. Speaking from personal experience, driver education offers a more in-depth, comprehensive overview of traffic laws and safe driving practices that may be overlooked by the permit test or by a non-professional teacher. Oftentimes, new drivers forget the contents of the permit test as soon as they step out of the testing center (I am guilty as charged), and while family members can provide guidance and give new drivers confidence behind the wheel, they may not be familiar with recent traffic guidelines or, like my parents, be good teachers. Thus, driver education acts as a refresher on the rules and has the advantage of being a structured course with regular assessments that can measure performance. In this manner, driver education is crucial in helping new drivers become familiar with traffic laws and avoid potential crashes. Statistically, driver education has been successful and is worth the cost. A study in Nebraska found that teenagers who undergo driver education are less likely to get into car crashes or receive traffic violations. Most importantly, the teens who avoid these crashes by taking driver education also avoid being one of the eight teens who died in car accidents every day in 2013.6 Driver education is directly lifesaving. If we can wield driver education as another tool to raise awareness about phone use while driving, then we are one step closer to phone-free roads.

As an ever-advancing form of technology, phones may only become more of a distractor in the future. Thus, it becomes imperative that both the government and the driver work to promote safety on the roads now. The path to a better future lies first in creating a safer environment for everyone to get to school or work, and we can start today with one person putting the phone down behind the wheel.

References

¹Texting and Driving Accident Statistics – Distracted Driving. (2019, August 8). Texting and Driving Accident Statistics. https://www.edgarsnyder.com/car-accident/cause-of-accident/cell-phone/cell-phone-statistics.html#:%7E:text=General%20Cell%20Phone%20Statistics,caused%20by%20texting%20and%20driving.

² Texting and Driving Accident Statistics – Distracted Driving. (2019b, August 8). Edgarsnyder.Com. https://www.edgarsnyder.com/car-accident/cause-of-accident/cell-phone/cell-phone-statistics.html

³ Distracted Driving. (n.d.). GHSA. https://www.ghsa.org/state-laws/issues/distracted%20driving

⁴ When It Comes To Driving, Most People Think Their Skills are Above Average. (2014, August 28). When It Comes To Driving, Most People Think Their Skills Are Above Average.

⁵ Distracted Driving Research – National Safety Council. (n.d.). National Safety Council. https://www.nsc.org/road/safety-topics/distracted-driving/distracted-driving-research

⁶ Does Taking A Driver’s Ed Course Reduce Car Crashes? (n.d.). Auto-Related News, Trends, & Tips – https://www.idrivesafely.com/defensive-driving/trending/does-taking-drivers-ed-course-reduce-car-crashes