The Power of Process

The Power of Process

I failed the driver exam.
Twice.

I may not seem like the ideal
candidate to be writing this essay. However, the exam and

my
other experiences with driving have taught me some universally
applicable lessons.

Why did I fail the exam? I had
the wrong attitude.
I cared about the result, not the

process.
I cared about passing, not about being a safe, observant driver. My
priorities
were off.

How does that relate to car
accidents? Distracted driving, drunk driving, and speeding

are
the leading causes of car accidents in the US. In each of these
scenarios, someone chose to

prioritize
texting, alcohol, or timeliness above watching the road. They failed
to prioritize
not

only
their own life, but the lives of other people.

Drivers ed is a crucial
step in reducing deaths because they are training the

young
generation to drive safely and thus prioritize life. They effectively
do this by showing

videos
of distracted drivers‘ stories. The only change needed is for
instructors to continually

drive
home that it is not about receiving the plastic card but about
learning how to drive safely.

I was in a car crash when I
was 6 and lived in India. It happened because one truck

decided
to switch lanes at an inopportune time, and that action affected two
other cars.

My instructor once told me
that driving is like a team
sport; if you get off track, you

cause
others to get off track. In retrospect of the accident, that makes
perfect sense.

It should not be the sole
responsibility of driver educators to get this point across. It

should
be a team effort. Legislators can help by passing a hands-free law in
every state. Right

now
only 25 states have a hands-free law for all drivers, even though
distracted driving remains

the
number 1 cause of accidents. Nearly 4,000 people were killed in 2015
from it.

Finally, you have to set
up for success. If
you were dieting, you would make sure that cookies are not easily
available. Similarly, one action I will take to prevent distracted
driving is to put my phone in the backseat. This way, it will be out
of reach and I am much less likely to use it. Another preventative
action is to download apps that put notifications off when you’re
driving. iPhones already do this, and for Android the app Driving
Detective can help. Lastly, always make sure you leave with enough
time so you do not speed.

If you focus on driving
safely, you will almost always reach your destination. But if you

only
focus on reaching your destination, you may not always be driving
safely. People must

realize
that safe driving is like navigating through life: you must keep a
good attitude, focus on

the
process, prioritize, work as a team, and set yourself up for success.
In your quest to drive

from
point A to point B, do not drive past the point of no return.

Sources

Distracted Driving Statistics
in 2020: The Zebra. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.thezebra.com/distracted-driving-statistics/

Essex,
A. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/cellular-phone-

use-and-texting-while-driving-laws.aspx