Distracted Driving

A few years ago, my mom was in a car crash. No one passed away from it, however my mom is still struggling with neck pains to this day. It was around 6pm, so it wasn’t dark outside, but the sun was going down, my mom was at a stop sign that connected to a main road. A truck was driving on the main road but was far back, so my mom went ahead and turned out onto the main road. Then the truck suddenly sped up and crashed into the side of her car. My mom’s car slid into the car that was in front of her, so it was a three-way car crash. My mom’s car was totaled, and she had to go to physical therapy for a month. The guy’s truck had a dent but was fixable and the bumper of the other woman’s car came off. The driver of the truck tried to say it was dark outside so he couldn’t see my mom, but later in the investigation they found out he was on his phone scrolling on Facebook. This is a perfect example of distracted driving.

Driving a vehicle comes with many responsibilities that nobody thinks about. You are being put in charge of every single person’s life on the road. Not just the people in your car, but also every car you pass while driving. Many people these days want to get their license when they are around 14 years old. The thought of being able to go where you want, when you want is amazing, but more comes with that. A life could end in a second because of a distracted driver. Yes, you need to know how to control the vehicle and what buttons do what, but you also need to have knowledge of safe driving. The courses needed to get your permit and license are needed for a reason. When doing your driving school, you need to sit down in a quiet place and focus on your videos. If you have trouble with being still, then you can get a piece of paper and something to write with to take notes. That can also help you with memorizing things that are said in videos. I would also recommend having water and a few snacks to help you stay sitting while watching the videos. One last tip while doing your driving school would be to not rush through them. Most people try to finish it all in one day but doing it that way does not help you learn anything. Rushing through it can cause you to be overwhelmed and not remember all the information you were taught. It is important to remember the basic things said in the videos because they are the things that will most prevent you from a car crash.

Once you have gotten your license and are driving on the road, is where your knowledge is really put to the test. Distracted driving is the number 1 cause of car crashes resulting in deaths. When getting in the car it is a good thing to be positive about your driving and know that all your attention will be on the road. If you have someone in the car with you, make sure they will not be a distraction. You do not want the passenger to be jumping around, making a bunch of noise, or anything that is going to take your attention away from the road. Another thing you can do to prevent any distractions would be to put your phone away. Turn it on, do not disturb and put it out of eyesight. Do not just set it on top of the middle console, put it away like in the glove box. You want to prevent anything that will distract you from safe driving because distracted driving can lead to death.

Things that I have learned from driving school and my mom’s car crash would be to always be aware of your surroundings, prevent anything you can from distracting you, and know the responsibilities of driving. Always remember to take the extra steps before putting the car in drive, to protect you and others on the road from death related to driving. Think about the other people that are driving on the road next to you, they could have a family who’s waiting for them to get home, or maybe even a dog. You never know where someone else is heading so don’t take their life before they get there. Always be a smart and cautious driver.