The Importance of Attention

Driver’s education is a helpful and necessary resource that teaches drivers the rules of the road. Not all drivers follow these rules, either careless or forgetful, but these rules help people know what to do when complications arise, or dangerous situations occur. People who don’t know what to do when unexpected things happen on the road become a danger to themselves and others. When lights are out on an intersection, those who don’t know the procedure increase the risk for accidents to happen if they don’t know what’s going on or get impatient waiting for their turn. They are more likely to drive under unsafe conditions if they haven’t been warned not to drive while emotional, or tired, or when the weather is too hazardous. Drivers who have gone through driver’s education are also more likely to make choices that contribute to safer road conditions, such as keeping proper distance between their car and the cars around them.

The increase in driving accidents today can be attributed to the lack of attention drivers are paying to the road. People today are no longer accustomed to periods of time where they may become bored or uninterested, due to the high presence of technology and the digital world. Despite the considerable risks, many drivers feel comfortable enough to use their phone while driving, taking their attention off the road when they feel safe and confident that nothing will change during the time they spend looking elsewhere. However, the road is a place where conditions can change fast and unexpectedly, and those seconds not paying attention, however few they may be, are enough to cause an accident.

In many places, driving while using your phone is illegal, yet this does little to actually prevent phone use on the road. Something that I feel would be more helpful to decrease phone use would be changing how phones operate while inside a vehicle. Apps such as Spotify change their interface when they detect they are inside of a car, become simpler to use and restrict more complicated functions that could distract drivers. If the entire device was able to do this, restricting most applications from being accessed entirely, this could reduce the amount of phone usage while driving. This might not be the most popular proposal, as those sitting in passenger seats may wish to use their phones on drives. This could potentially be gotten around by being able to exit this reduced function mode, but it could also encourage them to find alternative methods of entertaining themselves and encourage less dependence on devices.

I have been the victim in two accidents caused by drivers who were not paying attention to the road, and both left their mark on me and reinforced my driving habits. In the first accident, I had to stop on the road, and the car behind me was rear ended so hard that the car was pushed into mine. I had to stop due to a landscaping vehicle that was parked ahead of me in my lane, and I could not merge into the other lane. There were no signs indicating work ahead, but I was able to see them and stop regardless. The driver who caused the crash could have prevented this by paying attention to the brake lights and speed of the car ahead of them. Thankfully, my car only suffered minor damage, and I was able to drive away after exchanging insurance information and talking to the police. I am grateful my first accident was relatively minor and that there was a more experienced driver present, as this gave me a sort of practice run for what to do in the event of a collision.

The second accident was more severe, totaling my first car. I had been on my way to pick up my friend to drive them to work, and I was crossing at an intersection with a green light. A pick up truck towing a trailer hit the rear side of my vehicle at full speed while running the red light. If the driver had been paying attention, they could have seen the red light sooner, not to mention the car in the middle of the intersection. While my car was totaled, I suffered no major injuries, but I was shocked and nervous every time I used that intersection for months afterward. I am more wary on the road and often times I get scared that cars are going to hit me even when they show no indication of doing so.

I stick to a few rules on the road that make me feel safer, and I hope that by setting that example, other drivers will see me and follow suit. I make sure to keep my distance between other cars, even when stopped. I keep my phone in my cupholder when I am not using it to navigate, and use a hands free approach at all times. I make sure to only make turns when I am sure I have the space to do so. I keep a watchful eye out for pedestrians and other cars, and check my mirrors frequently. Many of these things are already rules of the road, but I don’t always see other drivers following them. However, I believe that by increasing the number of drivers who follow these rules, we can build a culture of safe drivers, where it is more common to be safe and vigilant on the road than not.