Honk! Wake Up to Other Forms of Distracted Driving

In 2021, I finally got my driver’s license. I was a young, fresh-faced 11th grader, ready to take on the streets in my 2017 Nissan Rogue. I could go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Unfortunately, this also included dance practice at the ungodly hour of 7 am on a Saturday.

The night before, I had stayed up late, engrossed in Tomi Adeyemi’s gripping novel, Children of Virtue and Vengeance. I would be fine tomorrow morning, I thought. A cup of coffee and a cold shower would wake me up. So, I continued to read until little specks of the sunrise streamed through my window. I figured I should get some sleep and closed my eyes for a few minutes.

I awoke to the sound of my phone buzzing. Eyes squinted, I read a text message from one of my dance teammates: “Hey r u coming ?” My eyes darted to the time; it was 7:10. I scrambled out of bed, threw on some clothes, grabbed my keys, and ran down the driveway in ballet shoes. I was tired, late, hungry, and coffee-less. Not a good combo.

I sped through my neighborhood and raced down Mitchellville Road, swerving for parked cars, joggers, squirrels, and anything else that dared to cross my path. That’s when I hit the traffic light. Now, this was no ordinary light. The traffic light was one of those lights that turned green for two seconds, then red for another five minutes (or so it felt like). When I turned the corner, it was green. I pressed the gas pedal harder. I was so close. As I approached, it turned yellow, then red. Slamming the brakes, my car jerked to a halt. I definitely would not be going anywhere any time soon. I put the car in park as my thoughts drifted away and my eyes closed.

Honk! My eyes fluttered open. Cars whirred past me. The people behind me were trying to get out of my lane. The light was green. I shook myself awake and pressed the gas pedal. The engine revved as I remained stagnant. Just before the light turned yellow, I put the car in drive. My tires screeched as I made the turn, too disoriented to fully control the car.

The girl texting as she speeds down the highway. The boy drinking beer as he goes down a windy road. The group of friends driving as they close their eyes and sing along to their favorite song. These were my ideas about distracted driving. However, it was not until I arrived at dance practice, heart pounding and forty minutes late, that I realized the gravity of what I had done.

Distracted driving comes in a variety of forms. It is not merely chatting with your friends or eating a snack. It can be not getting enough sleep or being late to an event. Nevertheless, all forms of distracted driving hurt others. At any point during my journey, I could have hurt someone. As I sped through my neighborhood, I could have hit the little boy running to get his ball from the street. The cars in my lane could have hit someone, trying to get out of the lane I blocked by falling asleep. My parents could have gotten the devastating call that their only daughter died in a car accident.

Distracted driving is also preventable. Had I put down (the amazing) Children of Virtue and Vengeance, I could have been more awake the next morning. I could have set an alarm so I would wake up with enough time to get ready, eat, and drive safely. If I knew I had to stay up late for important reasons, I could have asked one of my parents to drive me to practice. Part of good driving is self-discipline, proper planning, and alertness. Often, the most important parts of driving happen outside the car.

Since that fateful day, I have been more careful about planning my time. If I know I have to stay up late, I am quick to find an alternative way to get to where I need to be. I have learned that I do not have to be drunk or texting to be a distracted driver. Rushing and sleep deprivation are equally dangerous on the road.

However, it should not take a traumatic (or near-traumatic) experience for students to learn the dangers of distracted driving. It is important for parents, teachers, and Driver’s Ed instructors to highlight other forms of distracted driving before anyone gets hurt.