Efforts to Increase Safety on the Road and Lessen Distracted Driving

Last year I was driving to work and I was already late. Traffic was taking so long. Once I finally saw what the real cause of traffic was my heart reached out to that driver of the vehicle. It was a young man about 16 years old talking to the police. He rear ended someone else’s car with a car one could noticeably tell wasn’t his. As I was passing by the scene I saw who must’ve been his parents get out of the car and hug him. I saw him point at his phone and then gestured toward the other car. He must’ve been telling his parents he was using his phone and got in an accident because of it.

Car accidents can be devastating and sometimes preventable. Distracted driving is when someone is doing something while driving other than focusing on the road. Distracted driving counts as being on your phone, eating, or even changing the radio station. Though it is an action taken by many drivers all around the world nobody is invincible. Majority of car accidents happen because of distracted driving. According to a study in 2021 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 3,522 people lost their lives due to distracted driving. In order to decrease car accidents, it is important to lessen distracted driving.

One way to do this is to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. Oftentimes, drivers may not realize how dangerous it is to take their eyes off the road, even for a split second. By educating the public through public service announcements, social media campaigns, and even in-school events, people can become more aware of the risks and consequences associated with distracted driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s U Drive. U Text. U Pay. campaign is their take on alerting drivers about the dangers about one form of distracted driving. Some teenagers are making sure to spread the word based on their personal stories.

Liz Marks is all about advocating for the seriousness of distracted driving. In April of 2021 Marks, then 17, was texting and driving. After sending the short message “Ok” her life would change forever. As she looked down to send the text her car slammed into the back of a pickup truck. Liz sustained a traumatic brain injury and could’ve lost her life that day. Because of her choices that day though she lived she has a constant reminder of her mistake due to her facial trauma. Marks does a campaign of her own traveling to various places to speak about her accident and promoting her campaign Don’t Text N Drive. Even her social media mentions her initiative. It states “I’m a survivor of a distracted driving crash that forever changed my life. My goal is to share my story in hopes of saving lives. Don’t Text N Drive.”

Though I’m glad we have it, the campaign work of Marks and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would not be needed if there were some more consequences put in place for those who text and drive. I believe there should be stricter laws and penalties for those who engage in distracted driving. I live in the state of Iowa and our current legislators just passed the Senate Bill 547 which discusses the new penalties for driving while using an electronic device. If caught with using any electronic device the driver will have their license temporarily suspended. When they get their license back if they are caught again using it their license will be taken away. If they are underage they cannot get their license back until they are 18. If they are already older than 18 then their license will be taken away for an entire year. The current fine in the state of Iowa is $100 and if there is an accident and their injuries are serious there would be a $500 fine. If the accident is fatal the fine is $1,000. Though the fine rates were increased I believe there should still be more serious consequences for distracted driving. But technology advances in new models of cars are also helping solve the mistakes of distracted drivers.

The automotive industry has been developing cars that can park themselves and have emergency brake features. Some cars already have features like lane departure warnings and automatic emergency braking, which can help prevent accidents caused by distracted driving. By investing in new technologies and making them more widely available, the automotive industry can contribute to a safer driving experience for everyone on the road. In conclusion, reducing distracted driving is an important step in decreasing car accidents. Using social campaigns, increasing stricter laws pertaining to distracted driving and increasing the technology in cars we can all work together to make the roads safer for everyone.