Five Seconds to Tragedy: The Epidemic of Phone Addiction Behind the Wheel

Imagine you’re casually cruising on the highway. Seems normal, right? You look down to check your phone for a total of five seconds. By that time, you already traveled the length of a football field. That is how overlooked phone distractions are. By shifting your attention away for five seconds, you put everyone around you in extreme danger, including yourself.

Mobile phone use behind the wheel is a widespread issue across all age groups, but it is most common among teenagers. Whether it’s to check their social media, change a song, or even to send a text, most teenagers seem to care more about their device than their own lives.

One of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States is car crashes. Nearly 3,000 teen lives are taken a year due to car crashes, and distracted driving plays a major role in many of these incidents.

As new drivers progress in high school, substances like alcohol and marijuana often appear in their daily lives. Driving under the influence impairs the driver’s defensive decisions and their overall performance on the road, creating an extremely dangerous environment for others. Many teens also face pressures from others, causing one to speed just because it’s “cool.” At my high school, I see other students speed around the parking lot just to show off to their friends. Not only does that put the driver in danger, but also their passengers and others around them.

All three of these obstacles to safe driving (phone use, substance abuse, and reckless driving) make Drivers Education absolutely imperative. While Drivers Ed educates newcomers about the essentials of driving, like the rules of the road, defensive driving skills, and hazard awareness, it also helps correct the typical “teen” way of driving. To those who do not participate in Drivers Ed, many believe driving is simply a social activity, not a serious and life-threatening responsibility. Drivers Ed assists with establishing safe and positive driving habits early on, which can truly affect future driving and important decisions on the road. However, Drivers Ed is not just a course, but a curriculum that should be retained for the rest of their time driving. Unfortunately, many teens who take Drivers Ed do not take all the useful information into consideration.

My brother, Ryder, who is now a sophomore in college, is a prime example of someone who did not take Drivers Ed seriously. He was driving on the highway with me, going over 80 mph. I said, “Why are you going so fast? That’s way above the speed limit.” He said, “Because everyone else is going this speed.” The actions of other drivers influence the way he drives, and because they are speeding, he believes it is okay to speed as well. In addition, he is also distracted by his phone, occasionally changing the music and shifting his attention away from what’s vital. Luckily, Ryder’s poor decisions on the road haven’t caused any accidents, but if he continues to make the same mistakes, it is inevitable that something bad will occur. Not completely understanding the rules and risks of the road can create a driver like Ryder, putting himself, his passengers, and nearby drivers in constant danger. If an accident happens due to reckless driving, it can completely change the driver’s life. It can strip them of their money, reputation, and most importantly, health or worse, their life.

In order to prevent mistakes like Ryder’s, there are practical steps everyone needs to take.

First and foremost, put the phone away. There shouldn’t be a need to have it around at all times. It should be off and away, or even better, not in reach, such as locked in the glove box or in the trunk. The phone is dangerous, and it should never be the first priority on the road. Secondly, be patient. What’s the rush? Is it worth taking a life because you’re late? Take your time, and act like every drive, trip, or outing—no matter how long or short—as if your life depends on it, because it truly does.

Schools, the building teens are in most of the time, can have a positive impact if steps are taken. They should partner with local law enforcement and place more police around the school to supervise and influence the actions of teens before they drive. The school could also integrate driving safety into the curriculum, even into a health and wellness class.

Communities and local towns can assist too by offering accessible driver training to anyone, ensuring anyone and everyone can properly learn the rules and regulations of the road. Another helpful solution is to promote safe driving at events like prom or graduation, where driving under the influence is most likely to happen. Together, everyone can take a small step to contribute to make a grand impact for the safety of others.

However, even though Drivers Ed is vital for the safety of teens on the road, it needs a change. Make it memorable and something that all teens will retain. Many teens aren’t very fond of school, so they approach this course with the same attitude—treating it as just another tedious class with carelessness and negligence. An engaging course for teenagers is optimal to gain their complete attention and make a positive impact on the entire community.

So here is a message to all teens:

Just because others speed or check social media during their drives, doesn’t mean you have to as well. Focus on yourself and your safety. Think about all the times you drove without care. That entire time you put everyone’s lives around you at stake, just because you wanted to check a text message. So from now on, I want you to fully reflect on your decisions on the road. Think, how valuable is life to you? Would you want others to take your safety into consideration? Even though you think you’re invincible on the road, you’re not. Every driver thinks “it won’t happen to me,” and yet some who think that, are taken away from the joy of life solely because they maintain that mentality. And around other reckless drivers, don’t be afraid to challenge them. Point out their carelessness, speak up and encourage them to change. You might just save a couple of lives in the future. Recognize safety, and realize, it is not optional.

Even though I haven’t been in an accident, I notice all the dangers that could quite possibly lead to one. I believe distracted and reckless driving is a current epidemic, because it takes away around 3,500 lives and injures around 300,000 people per year. I am lucky to not have been in any extreme danger, and I am willing to spread awareness about this terrible issue. I am currently taking Drivers Ed, and I want to make sure that I, my loved ones, and my peers are educated on the matter of driving like your life is at stake. Hopefully, I have proven myself to help contribute to the safety of others, and I hope the selection committee considers me as a strong candidate for this scholarship.