Distracted Driving and How to Prevent It

I was eight years old when I got into my first car accident. My brother and I were sitting in the back seat of my dad’s car, arguing over what snacks we could eat and yelling at each other. We were driving to the park, and kept asking when we would get there, what time it was, among a plethora of other questions that my dad didn’t want to answer. Naturally, he became frustrated, and with the added pressure of the afternoon traffic he reached his breaking point. He turned around quickly to tell us to be quiet and that we were almost there, when a sudden stop occurred in front of him. He stepped on his breaks just in time, but still managed to bump the car in front of us. Later I would learn that this is called a fender bender. It is one of the most common types of accidents, specifically associated with rush-hour traffic. Once we felt the bump, my brother and I stopped talking pretty quickly. We knew something was wrong, and took the hint to stay quiet while my dad worked it out with the other driver. Needless to say, we were late to the park and my dad was unhappy for the rest of the day. Looking back on this event, it is clear that this accident was mostly the result of my brother and I causing needless distractions. My dad was doing his best, but distracted driving can impact even the best of drivers. So, how can we avoid distracted driving?

I have had plenty of my own experience to answer this question. Many of my friends have been in accidents, and it is always scary to hear that they could have been seriously injured. One of my friends was driving on the highway when someone merged into her lane and took her side mirror off. Another friend was t-boned at an intersection. I have had many close calls, but the first and only time I have come close to getting into an accident was when I ran into a wall on an overpass. It was a quick swipe, and I was fine though my car was a bit worse for wear. Still, the situation was scary, and it all occurred because I was distracted. I was looking at something over my right shoulder, and accidentally moved the wheel in the direction my head was facing, just enough to scrape the wall. That distraction caused me to be grounded from driving for the next month, and taught me the lesson that no matter how insignificant the distraction may be, it is necessary to think through what may cause an accident. Many times these distractions are things found inside the car. For me, I have eliminated my phone as a distraction, as I know that texting or checking notifications while driving is one of the most common distractions. Each time I get into my car, I put my phone on a mount above my dashboard, and don’t touch it until I have safely parked. I also keep the noise distractions to a minimum, by turning my music volume low so that I can hear what is going on around me, and if I have other people in my car I turn the volume even lower, so that I can focus on the road. There are many other ways to reduce distractions in the car, and setting boundaries is the main way to do this. Anyone can set boundaries in the form of telling passengers to be quiet, putting away their phone or not listening to music.

Still, no matter the precautions taken to reduce distractions while driving, there are still moments where accidents can occur. It is a fact that most car crashes occur when teenagers are driving. This is why it is so important to educate young drivers on the rules of the road and how to react in certain situations. My dad was the one who taught me to drive, and he took pains to make sure I understood every rule of the road. I learned everything from how to react at a yellow light to what to do at a railroad track. He taught me to be aware during driving, and to drive defensively. This means to drive without aggression, follow the speed limit and always be looking around me. Accidents can be prevented by awareness, which is why distracted driving is such a big factor in causing accidents. I am always the first to tell my friends to not text and drive, and to stay safe on the road. By caring for those around us and educating each other on why accidents may occur and how to prevent them, together we can create a safer road environment, and end distracted driving.