The Cost of Distraction

Everytime we operate a vehicle we are endangering ourselves. Regardless of how experienced we may be at driving, we put ourselves at risk when we’re on the road because we can’t always control how the people surrounding us are operating their vehicles. From drivers who pay little attention, to those with road rage, speeding habits, a lack of signal usage or who are distracted, the most preventative way to avoid car accidents is to ensure that we are taking the necessary steps to be aware, limit distractions, take our time while driving, and to focus. Educating both new drivers and experienced ones is important because if we are all aware of the ways that collisions, injuries, and casualties may happen, we can work to be as cautious and mindful as possible. Prior to receiving my drivers license I had to take driver’s education in high school and learned that the leading cause of car accidents are distractions. Whether it is a cell phone, other passengers, or looking away from the road even briefly, these moments may lead to fatalities in an instant. Other factors such as driving while impaired or driving under the influence are very likely to lead to the death of others and oneself. Prioritizing the elimination of things such as distractions, driving while fatigued or impaired, or being in a rush due to traffic conditions or time conflicts is imperative. On September 21, 2022 I was in a car accident that ultimately changed the way I drove in the future. I was seventeen years old and let a distraction cost me my car. I was at a red light and looked down at the GPS on my phone. I looked up and saw the car in front of me slightly move and as my eyes returned to my screen, I pressed the gas pedal. I assumed that the light had turned green and that the car had moved more but instead I heard a gut-wrenching sound and looked up to find the hood of my car smashed into the car in front of me. I remember screaming to the top of my lungs in fear of what I’d just done. Hot tears poured out of my eyes as I cried hysterically and pulled over. The car that I’d hit also pulled over and it turned out that that vehicle had hit a truck in front of them. Because of me. I had started a three-car collision. The moment was surreal and I remember both drivers exiting their cars and asking me if I was okay to which I responded yes. The third vehicle ended up driving away and the first driver that I hit said he’d call the police. I immediately called my dad and told him what happened. It would take him about twenty minutes to get to me as he was on the other side of the city and it felt like the longest twenty minutes ever. When the accident was all said and done I ended up totaling my car and with a small bump on my knee. I was able to walk away without injuries but to this day almost a year later, I still think about how such a brief distraction caused such a significant effect and how much worse things could have been. I could’ve injured the other drivers, their cars could have been totaled, and I could have been badly injured. Our lives can change in the blink of an eye and it’s up to us to make sure that we’re doing our part: staying focused, taking our time, considering other drivers, and ascertaining that we’re fully cognizant and sober. Following my accident I have made sure to have my GPS set up before I leave my home, to not touch my phone while driving, to take my time, and to not drive under any circumstances where I will be drowsy. I hate that it took such a jarring event for me to reach this awareness and I hope this isn’t the case for other drivers to ensure that they are attentive. We often become too comfortable with our abilities as drivers but the best thing to keep in mind is that we can never be too prepared. We can never know what to expect when we pull out of our driveways. The person I hit didn’t think they’d get rear-ended that day. I didn’t think I’d be careless enough to total my car and initiate a three-car collision. Following the accident, in order to remove points from my record I had to take a three-hour driving course online where things ranging from tire problems, to road, rage, to driving while impaired, to eating while driving, talking on the phone while driving, and driving in inclement weather was addressed just to name a few. While I was about two and a half years removed from driver’s education, the three hour course felt very informative and served as a great refresher of what I’d learned in driver’s ed. I remember struggling to focus during driver’s ed being ready to go home but the interactive virtual lesson that I was ordered to take was a way for me to take on learning about driving in a new way. We shouldn’t wait until a fatal accident occurs for drivers to be regularly educated about the risks we run while driving. I think if more education about these risks are enforced on a regular basis, the danger that exists on the road may decrease.