“I Hope You Get The Message”

“I Hope You Get The Message”

On
average, a car weighs 2,871 pounds. The average G force experienced
inside a car during a front end collision, assuming that every safety
precaution is taken, is 30 G’s. The human body can withstand 46 G’s
before the body gives in, resulting in death. The front end
collision, when a driver is practicing every recommended safety
practice, is the safest collision you can be in; yet, this collision
yields ⅔ of the G force needed to kill a human. Essentially, people
are driving 2,871 pound bullets, with the ability to kill or wound
other people, but they don’t have the respect for other drivers to
put down their cell phones and watch the road.

America
is in a desperate situation; 1.6 million people are involved in car
accidents due to cell phone use, totaling 129 billion dollars in
damage. Drivers ed, especially related to cell phones, is one
of the most important steps that can be taken in preventing driver
death and injury. By teaching drivers of all ages the importance of
staying off your cell phone while driving, unnecessary accidents and
death can be dramatically reduced. Being a teenage driver, I know how
drivers, especially young drivers, listen to information about safe
driving; they don’t. Many drivers have to experience something for
it to truly manifest itself, and then they change their habits.
However, this does not help if a driver is seriously injured, or even
killed. One such way to teach drivers like this is to have workshops
where they can experience the effects of texting and driving
firsthand. I attended the accident avoidance workshop before I
received my driver’s license, and I can personally say that it has
helped me avoid four different accidents, some of which could have
been disastrous. A workshop that would demonstrate the effects of
texting and driving, and allow drivers to understand the consequences
that could befall themselves and others, would be beneficial to every
driver on the road.

One
of the reasons that drivers do not simply abide by road safety
suggestions is because their parents do not. While learning to drive,
I saw my parents using their phones, texting, and making calls while
driving. I thought nothing of it until I had to learn about driving,
and learned that texting while driving is one of the most dangerous
things you can do on the road. Even though both of my parents have
been in car crashes, neither of them have been involved in one
related to cell phone use. However, after being in a crash where the
other driver was texting, my mom and dad have both stopped using
their phones while driving.

After
learning about and practicing safe driving (specifically related to
cell phone use), I feel that I have helped out a little bit in making
the road a safer place. However, many drivers out there still text
and drive, and need to be warned of the consequences that could come
of it.