Regulated Fear

For
all excited teenagers who are ready to jump behind the wheel, driver
education can literally be a life saver. If the true danger of
distracted driving is presented to teens and a reasonable amount of
fear is instilled in them before they even touch a steering wheel,
the chances of that teen deciding to check that text or open that
snapchat will probably be far lower than if they had not been
extensively informed on these dangers. Fear should not overtake
someone when they drive, but it is also a necessary element to safe
driving when present in moderation.

To
reduce the number of driving-related deaths, social media apps should
take a more vocal stance on the issue of distracted driving within
the apps themselves. They should have notifications on apps like
Snapchat and Instagram warning both teens and adults against
distracted driving, because the more people are reminded of these
dangers and the more regulated fear is instilled in them, the less
likely they are to pick up that phone when behind the wheel. These
apps are often used during episodes of distracted driving, and if a
person picks up that phone and sees a message discouraging distracted
driving, they will most likely think much more about their actions.

I
have never personally been in a serious car accident, but I have seen
numerous instances of people being distracted while driving. These
situations make me very scared, either of my friend or family member
being disciplined by the police or even the worst happening: a
serious accident. It may even be something not as harmful as texting
while driving, like eating some food or looking through a purse for a
particular item, yet every time they look away from the road I still
feel pangs of fear within me.

To
be a better driver, I can continue to make sure that my phone is not
in a place that I would be tempted to look at it when I am driving. I
can keep it on the passenger seat, making it more inconvenient to
look at if I get the urge to, or even in the backseat if I ever get
too tempted. I will encourage my friends to do the same, and even
hang onto it myself if I am in the car. If I ever see anybody being
distracted while driving, I will let them know how it scares me and
the danger they are putting us in and that will probably get them
thinking more about the potential consequences to their actions.