Death by Distraction

There is an epidemic sweeping not only our nation, but the world. A lack of focus and attention to detail is costing people their relationships, their happiness and, even more seriously, their lives. I think there is a real problem to acknowledge when the rate of individuals dying from fatal car accidents is among the top three leading causes of death in the country. Human error is inevitable, but the rate at which people are dying from motor vehicle related accidents is too high to attribute to mere accidents. I think the biggest reason for the increase in fatal car accidents is phone usage and distraction due to devices.

Driving is a privilege that many young teens get to experience. There’s nothing like the feeling of swiftly pulling into the DMV parking lot after successfully passing one’s driving test. All the months of driving while your parents nervously wince and put on a fake smile, praying you make it home alive, finally pay off when you are handed that sheet that displays a PASS in the top right corner. With this new and exciting privilege, comes new responsibility. If teens want to drive and have freedom like adults, they have to make smart and mature decisions at the satire of adults as well. Teenagers’ brains don’t fully develop until their mid to late twenties. This means that their capacity for thinking and decision making is not fully developed when they start driving. Simply put, teenagers can make silly mistakes.

In this new age of technology and social media, distraction engulfs any and everyone. This can be especially problematic for new drivers. The desire to feel grown up often overwhelms individuals and they feel like they can handle more than they really can. It is so easy to get caught up in the mentality of feeling untouchable as a new driver that one can start to get a little too comfortable. This feeling of comfort and false sense of confidence is often what leads before disaster. Time and time again, temptation gets the best of people on the road. Whether it is hastily reaching for the phone to text someone back, call a friend or even mindlessly scroll through social media, any phone usage while driving can end in great fatality. What gets people into the most trouble is when they are so used to being on their phone while driving that it becomes a habit. At any given moment something on the road can happen and that is why it is so crucial that every driver has their full, undivided attention on the road. Not only is phone usage while driving dangerous for the driver, but everyone on the road. A distracted driver does not want to be the reason someone doesn’t make it home to their family.

Everytime someone steps into a vehicle, there is a possibility of disaster. I have been fortunate enough to never have been in or had a loved one that has been involved in a fatal car accident, but so many families are not as lucky. I think the greatest way to combat this issue is to continue to advocate and spread awareness about the stories of those who have gone through the repercussions of fatal car accidents. I think humans are empathic beings and after seeing, hearing and feeling the drastic impact an accident can have on yourself and those around you, people won’t be so quick to irresponsibly drive. I think another solution is to focus on highschool students and continue to provide resources for all the newly licensed drivers. They are the most vulnerable group to make mistakes due to their inexperience and not yet fully developed brains. Instilling the importance of never driving while impaired, abiding by curfews, not being distracted by loud music or friends could make all the difference.

Lastly, the actor that I believe is the most important is the examples that parents set for their children. It is easy to not think twice about safety when it comes to driving oneself. But, when driving others, especially your own children, parents should really take a step back and acknowledge the risk they are putting their children at by mindlessly scrolling while driving. Is checking your latest email really worth making a mistake you will never be able to reverse? Is viewing the latest news on Twitter really as important as making sure you and your children make it home safely? Growing up with parents who so comfortable use phones while driving sets the wrong example for impressionable children who one day aspire to drive too. You can not expect your children to grow up to be good, responsible drivers when they watch you make irresponsible decisions their whole lives. Hold your kids to the same standard you hold yourself at and you may even save a life while you’re at it.