“It Can Wait”

The first thing you do when you walk into a movie theater is silence your cell phone, so where is that same behavior when you get behind the wheel of a car? To me, it is unfathomable how people can go a couple hours without checking their phones when watching a movie, but can’t wait until they get to their destination which is presumably shorter. Growing up, when driving with my dad in the car, he would occasionally check his phone at a red light. Even though the car was stopped, I still felt deep down that it wasn’t right. As I got older, I started getting picked up by my friends. I still remember the excitement of the very first time I was picked up by my friend Houston. Finally not having to be chauffeured by my parents any time I wanted to go anywhere. It was exhilarating. We were laughing and smiling and jamming out to our favorite songs! Until Houston picked up his phone and started texting while he was going around 40 miles an hour. My smile faded and my excitement turned into fear. I remember telling him, “You should never be on your phone while you’re driving!” His response was, “It’s fine, I’m a great driver.” After years of experiencing driving myself, I wish I could’ve gone back and told him, “Just because you’re a great driver doesn’t mean everyone else on the road is. You can be as safe as possible, and something could still happen, so not being alert at all times is one of the biggest mistakes you can make!” But I didn’t tell him that, because I didn’t understand how truly dangerous texting and driving could be. Years down the line, Houston ended up getting into a serious car accident. He was trying to text back on his phone while crossing an intersection and ended up t-boning a car trying to make a left turn. Thankfully, everyone involved left with minor injuries, but both of their cars got pretty messed up. After years of trying to persuade Houston not to be on his phone with no success, this was finally the thing that got him to put the phone down. It shouldn’t have to take traumatic situations for people to not make dangerous choices behind the wheel.

Because of situations like these, I am a firm believer that driver’s education is important for everyone, regardless of the age they are trying to acquire a license. Educating people not only to not be on their phones while driving, but to call other people out for doing it too. People are way more susceptible to peer acceptance than to their own self will at times. If I was driving with friends and they asked me not to use my phone while driving, I would never do it again. I value making my friends feel safe and comfortable when I am tasked with the responsibility of driving. I would also raise the importance if you wouldn’t do it around your friends, you also shouldn’t do it alone. Your life is just as valuable as anyone else’s, and you should treat it with the respect you would treat someone else. If people are taking driver’s ed and learning about how serious this issue actually is, it could prevent many accidents as well as save many lives.

While texting and driving is the main issue discussed in this essay, that does not mean there are not many more dangers on the road. Some other major issues include: drunk driving, drowsy driving, not wearing your seatbelt, speeding, and many more. When it comes down to it, the best thing you can do as a driver is to be as safe as possible. Always wearing your seatbelt, not driving when you are super emotional or tired, being able to be alert of your surroundings at all times, going the speed limit, respecting others around you, and more. If there was one thing I wish all people could take into consideration when it comes to driving, it would be the fact that there are so many human lives at risk when you step behind the wheel. When you decide to text, or to drink, or even pull an all-nighter, you could be altering so many lives in the process. If you did end up killing someone, the rest of your life would never be the same. I once had a teacher whose husband accidentally killed a motorcyclist with a pregnant wife at home. He was never the same. You will live with guilt and potentially end up in prison. Driving is a privilege and not a joke.

In conclusion, driver’s education is very important to help lessen fatalities, taking the steps to become a safer driver will benefit you and many others in the long run, and if you want to be on your phone in the car, try to remember the movie theater’s message to you, “it can wait”.