Text Me When You Get HOME

Imagine the scene: It’s pitch black outside, absolutely nothing is visible except for the street lights and the few feet of road illuminated by headlights. Rain is thundering down, making it difficult to see through the darkness, the driver of a gray subaru crosstrek oblivious to it all because their attention was on their phone. Ding.

Friend: Hey, when are you getting here? The party is already goin’ crazy

Driver: I’ll be there in five

Ding. Ding. Ding.

Friend: Bro what happened? It’s been an hour

Friend: Hello?

Friend: ???

ERROR: This user is unable to return messages at this time. There has been a car accident and the users phone was destroyed.

This conversation could happen to anyone. This is why it is so important for young teenagers who are about to start driving to be educated on what not to do and what to do while driving. A fantastic way (and the most common) for teenagers to get educated on driving is through a Driver’s Education class. Now of course anyone can learn how to drive from their parents, but teenagers learn by example. Parents, more often than not, make phone calls while driving, text, use one hand, fail to use turn signals, and teenagers notice that. However, if teenagers take a Driver’s Ed. class, they will more than likely practice safer habits while driving. Driver’s Ed. teaches the correct hand placement on the wheel, the correct use of turn signals and the correct way to switch lanes; Driver’s Ed. also teaches their students about the dangers of texting while driving (one of the leading, if not the leading, cause of car accidents). If Driver’s Education classes became a requirement as opposed to just being an option, it would reach many more young people who are just starting out in the driving world and those young people will pass on what they’ve learned to their children and so on and so forth. Now, speaking only in stereotypes, teenagers don’t necessarily like to put down their phones so there needs to be a way for teenagers to not want to look at their phones. I once saw a video of a dad and his daughter having a competition to see who could go the most amount of days without being on their phone in the car; a practical and fun way for teenagers to avoid texting and driving. However, texting and driving is not the only thing that causes car accidents and resulting deaths, drinking and driving is another serious issue. While there are laws in place to try and help prevent alcohol consumption while driving, there was still an average death of 10,000 people every year from 2010-2019 due to drunk driving accidents. Another good way to prevent drinking and driving besides legalities would be for friends and family to give kind reminders to one another after a party or family get together that if someone is too intoxicated to drive, they should call for a ride. While I have never personally experienced a car accident or any of my closest friends have, I know it still affects the lives of many individuals. In fact, one evening at church a boy came and talked about his life story after his car crash- he had hydroplaned in the rain and crashed into a semi- truck. He had severe injuries all over his body and in his brain as well, but a miracle happened and he was walking and talking and healing. He was one of the lucky ones and not many people can say the same. I have witnessed my friends and family participate in unsafe driving habits, while sometimes even participating myself. It’s human nature to do the things we want to do and not think about the possible consequences of our actions, but that doesn’t make it any less wrong. To be a better driver I can focus on the impact a car accident would have on not only me, but my family and the other driver and their family as well. I can turn my phone face down or put it away in a bag so I’m not tempted to look at it while I’m driving, I can revert back to correct hand placement on the wheel instead of what “just feels good.” I can slow down and take in the reality of how driving unsafe won’t just affect me- but everyone around the moving vehicle. I feel like if we all took the time to remember how much of a gift life was we would all slow down and take it more seriously. Perhaps we wouldn’t risk throwing our lives away because of reckless driving for no truly valid reason. Next time, text them when you get home, not while driving there.