35 to 65; Reducing the Impact of Distracted Driving

The road flies underneath our feet as we ride up and down over the dark curves of the back alleys in Amherst, New Hampshire. 35, 40, 45. My hands grip the side of the car, my fingernails digging into the leather as my best friend zooms on. She has always been a fast driver, always pushing the limits of speed, but I did not think about what it would mean for me when I was in the car. 50, 55, 60. I also did not realize that while she sped around unforgiving corners through the gaping darkness, she would be holding her phone in her hand, only giving half of her attention to the road. 65. At this moment, I felt truly afraid for my life. But I was too scared to say something, too scared to try and stop the fate of death that I saw for myself and my best friend. Thankfully, we made it safely to her house, but to this day, I have not driven in a car with her since. Ultimately, distracted driving is one of the most common ways for an accident to occur, and by reducing distracted driving, accidents and fatalities within vehicles can be greatly reduced.

Among my friends and family, I can safely say that many will sip a drink, take a bite of a snack, or have their phones accessible while driving. Even myself, I can admit, will look down at a notification, sip some water, and briefly take my eyes off of the road. While this may not immediately seem like a danger, the reality is that when one’s attention is not on the road for even a split second, so many obstacles can emerge and pose a threat in that brief instance. It just takes one second for a child to run into a road, for a car to swerve, or for an animal to run across the highway. These brief moments are why distracted driving is so incredibly dangerous. Even worse, however, is when the seconds expand, and it is no longer just a sip or checking a text, but rummaging through a bag or writing a whole message. I have seen a friend pick up a phone and say that they are just going to switch the song but suddenly they are on Snapchat and are barely glancing at the road anymore. In reality, almost every single person that I know has driven distracted, including myself, which is not only disappointing but truly dangerous.

As individuals, there is a lot we can do to avoid driving distracted. The first way to ensure that we do not utilize our phones or any form of technology before driving is to set up what we need before we start the car. Turn on a podcast, or a playlist, or queue some music before even turning on the ignition to ensure that you will not need to pick up your phone beforehand. As for communication, you can set up automated text messages that will automatically notify anyone of your choosing that you are driving and cannot answer the phone at the time of their message or call. Once this is done, safely, put your phone out of reach while you are in the car to ensure that you are not tempted to pick it up. For other distractions, such as food, people, and even pets, it is important to set your boundaries and limits. If I am eating food in the car, I like to ensure that it is bite-size food that I can pick up with my hand, without looking, and that my drinks are easily accessible while I am driving. When I am with my friends and it is a particularly hard drive, I make sure to let them know that it is important that I stay concentrated. I tell them not to show me anything on their phone, or try to engage in intense conversation throughout the drive. These are all ways that we, as individuals, can minimize distracted driving and ensure safety.

Beyond taking personal steps to avoid distracted driving, there are ways that society can help utilize technology and roadways to prioritize safety. One way to ensure that distracted driving is not happening within vehicles is to install a camera that tracks the motion of the eyes, which is already present in many Tesla vehicles today. This is still a developing form of technology that causes the car to simply make a noise when individuals’ eyes are not focused on the road and can help them know when they are being distracted. On the roadways themselves, adjustable signs can be directed towards distracted driving, as they catch the driver’s attention and can remind them of the importance of staying concentrated. For example, a sign that says “If you are reading the sign, you are not paying attention and driving distracted” could be effective in promoting safe driving. Personal stories are also ways to appeal to a wide group of people. Advertisements on social media platforms that share stories of the dangers of distracted driving can act as an incentive for everyone to concentrate on the road. Lastly, if necessary, police forces can be more diligent with their warnings and prosecution of distracted drivers if these other steps are ineffective.

With these individual and larger steps distracted driving can be reduced nationwide. While going through the experience of a terrible accident can be an incentive to avoid distracted driving, we, as a society, can find other ways that are less drastic and easily implementable to avoid this scenario. Taking steps each day to ensure that one is maintaining their focus while driving is the best way to get started. Next, reaching out to legislators and signing petitions to act on new forms of technology and advocate for advertisements and awareness, are even more successful ways to reduce distracted driving as a society. Ultimately, taking action forces individuals to become educated about the dangers of distracted driving, which is the first step to causing real change on the roads. With these steps, we can make the roadways safer for every person, and can hopefully reduce the losses caused by distracted driving.