Name: Justin V Haughton
From: Loma Linda, CA
Votes: 0
Distracted
Driving Awareness
As I drive
down the 91 Freeway in my father’s car. I receive a text from my
girlfriend Janae. I’m on my way to an interview. She hasn’t responded
to any of my messages all day, and I’m not sure if she all right. I
am approaching 75mph, and I pick up my phone and see what Janae has
to say. I take my eyes off the road for 2-3 seconds. Now this is
where typically in the tragic accident occurs, and the remorse of my
actions is expressed to the best of my abelites through this text.
But that is not what happened. I did not crash, lose control, or
almost get into an accident. I simply picked up my phone and took my
attention off the road for a few seconds.
Now in
thinking of this now as I sit in the library, that was a very stupid
thing to do. A girl I am not even married to and have known for the
last two months of my life texts me. I spoke to her last night and
had a wonderful conversation with her expressing I loved her and can
wait to see her. She told me she is praying for my interview and she
knows I am going to do well.
I have four
younger brothers back at home, and a mother and father who loves me
very much. This coming weekend I am going to northern California with
my church to perform for a parade. I recently finished my first year
of college and I will be starting my Sophmore year in the next ten
weeks.
I enjoy
life, and I have people who love and care about me very much. With
all this to consider, I drive down the 91 freeway approaching 75mph
and I pick up my phone to check a text that can be checked in the
next hour, day or year without any major life consequences.
I could
have lost my life that day. I increased the chances exponentially of
taking another person’s life that day. It was a reckless and foolish
thing to do. It made me think, it made me think very hard. I asked
myself what love is and if I was showing it in making the decision to
read my girlfriend’s text.
After
searching my thoughts I narrow down that love is a verb. Uncommon to
what is expressed in Hollywood and on the tv screen love is an
action, something you show. So I then asked what is the purest and
true way I can show love to another person.
After
giving that some thought I concluded that the sacrifice of self for
the positive wellbeing of whom it is you love is a true act of love.
If I really love my girlfriend I know that she loves me too and that
she would have no problem with me ignoring one billion of her texts
to keep me alive.
If I really
love my family, I know that a relationship with a girl I have known
for only six months is nothing compared to the year of effort and
sacrifice that they have invested in raising me. If at that moment I
grabbed my phone to check what Janae had said and thought about what
love was, I would understand that picking up the phone to see what
she was saying was not an act of love, but an act of selfishness.
It is
selfish to only consider my wellbeing and emotions at that moment and
disregard the feeling and emotions of those who care about me if I
were to lose my life. It is selfish to think only of the person I am
interested in and not of the countless other drivers around me who
have families and people who care about them.
It was
selfish of me to pick up the phone that day, and it is selfish for
anyone entrusted with an automobile the power to take life to be
distracted from the sole purpose of being behind the wheel: to drive
the car.
I intend to
become a more selfless person due to that experience, and I am sure
if each person with a drivers license would only take thirty minutes
to really consider just how selfish that act really is, accidents on
our roads would plummet.
So now I
embark on another evaluation of thought. What can be done before one
is in a position to commit an act as selfish as checking their phone
while possessing control of an automobile?
Prevention
I see is a key factor to play here, for the moments of selfishness
that lead so unjustly to death tend to happen in short periods where
an individual would not have time to lament as to just how self the
act they are committing is. So I extend to the invitation to induce
preventive measures to prevent the selfishness from even having a
chance to fester.
Turn the
phone off before you start the car. I see this as a measure that is
taken without much effort on the part of the driver. But what if I
use my phone for navigation? A 30-second google search as to “how
to prevent myself from using my phone when using navigation”
would fix that. A phone mount would also be an unselfish investment
to provide the driver with a way to not have the phone in their hand.
Another
solution I see is to pull off to the side of the road. Why are you
checking your phone? If it is very important, It warrants your full
attention, so it is best you give such by stopping the motion of the
vehicle.
I thought
Janae was injured or in trouble. I was on my way to an interview and
did not want to be late. So I can at that moment make a choice. Am I
knowing if Janae is okay more important than waiting until I get to
my destination to find out? If so I can make the necessary sacrifice
to pull off the freeway and check my phone when the car is not
moving.
Now after
considering and applying my previous insights to my own life, I no
longer text while driving. I take proactive steps to prevent the
selfish act of doing what I want when I want it from happening.
I have
however not considered the ways in which I often distract myself all
while not using a cell phone. Eating and driving for instance. I eat
and drive often, and when I am one of my two hands are occupied.
I recall
when I was driving to the airport one day and I was very hungry. I
had two sandwiches and prepared them with intent to eat as I drove on
the freeway to the airport. Now thinking back on that decision I had
driven for over ten miles with only one hand (or no hands when using
my knee to stare) with a vehicle within my control.
After
thinking of the previous ways I have distracted myself from the road
it becomes clear how much of a dangerous game is being played. A game
that can determine if a human being lives or dies.
I see a way
to more effectively make a change in the issue surrounding driver
safety is to have more effective education on the dangers of
distracted driving.
An easy way
for someone to justify behavior that promotes distracted driving such
as: eating while driving, talking with passengers, applying makeup,
etc is the argument that everyone else is doing it.
If someone
makes decisions based on the actions of what everyone is doing what
does this say about the persons values and there own personal
beliefs. Everyone must hold themselves accountable for their own
behavior behind the wheel. Finding fault in another person will not
help anyone become better.
The first
step to safety and undistracted driving is for each person who is
aware of its dangers become accountable to their
own behavior.
