The Reality of the Road

I have always dreamed of one day buying my first car. Over the past few years, that first car I want has been a Tesla. The car itself looks very nice, however, it is the revolutionary technology in the car that truly intrigued me. Over all its features, the safety of the car with things like automated braking and fully self-driving aspects is something that really pulls me in. With thousands of deaths each year from distracted driving, what Tesla and other autonomous vehicles are doing can be revolutionary. Granted, in the time being, it is even more important to increase driver safety.

I’ve seen many stories on the news of crashes and accidents that end up being fatal. Understanding the importance of safe driving has been reiterated multiple times to me through seeing the after effects of poor driving choices. Fortunately, I have never been in a car crash, but I have seen the pictures and injuries created through distracted driving by my relatives. The injuries have lasting effects, and the car, well, that’s another story.

A few years ago, I took drivers ed, and it most definitely was crucial in making me the conservative and safe driver I am today. I was able to understand the rules of the road and even hear about the horrors of driving with poor and dangerous habits. So, I credit my safety to this class. At the same time, after a few years of getting more comfortable on the road, a few negative tendencies have begun to come up.

When I reflect on myself and my driving, I know that I have flaws. Overall, I am a safe and conservative, almost timid driver, but I do have my fair share of bad habits. Outlining the major ones, I see three main issues that are reoccurring in regards to being a distracted driver that may put me in a dangerous position. The three common things that I have noticed include: engaging in conversation with those in the car, changing the mechanics of the car, and occasionally looking at my phone, whenever I see a notification.

Honestly, conversing with people in the car is a very common and normal part of driving. It is not an expectation to sit quietly. Personally, my bad habit arises when I get too engaged and interested in what I’m talking about to the point where my eyes periodically shift to looking at the people in the car and not on the road. This is especially harmful, as having my eyes off the road can make me unaware of my surroundings even for a couple seconds. Targeting this, I really believe that me and many others share this issue, as I have seen it in others I have been in cars with. Seeing the dangers, I believe it is just a conscious decision that I and others must make when driving that our eyes must stay focused on the road ahead of us.

Compared to the last example, changing the mechanics in the car is a far more common issue for me. I tend to not only forget to adjust the mirrors before I start driving, but I also look to change the car AC, music, and volume far too often. I typically try to wait for stops, however, that is not always the case. I can recall times when I have changed the volume or AC while driving on a busy road. The problem really comes from just once again having my eyes off the road. If my steering shifts one way while I am not paying attention to the road and rather the car temperature, I not only pose harm to myself but also to other cars. I believe, for this to be fixed, I need to make a simple change before I begin to drive: adjust the mirrors, set the AC at a comfortable temperature, and leave a music playlist on at a reasonable volume. These changes aren’t huge, it’s just a matter of taking the steps to take precautions.

The last minor issue I have that gets me distracted while driving is my phone. It is not only notifications that take my attention away from the road, but it’s also feeling inclined to change the song or up the volume in my phone. The problem with getting notifications is that I get distracted looking at them and thinking about them. My full attention drifts away from the task at hand. I may not be attentive physically for 2 seconds looking down at my phone, but I am now not attentive mentally for 2 minutes. Similarly, the inclination to go on my phone to increase the music volume or change a song poses a harm. Switching songs and song volume simply add to the distraction. In order to alleviate these distractions, I must just create a playlist before driving and also put my phone on silent while I am driving.

My common distractions haven’t posted a threatening problem yet, however, it is better to be safe than sorry. The first step for myself and others is to reflect and acknowledge their flaws while driving. After mapping these issues out, I feel as if the fix is very simple, but one must be willing. I myself am very willing after seeing the true dangers of driving while distracted in any shape or form.