Don’t drive distracted.

“In
America, an average of 34,000 people die each year as a result of
driving.” (DmvEdu.org, 2020) 34,000 fellow human beings; dads,
moms, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, nieces,
nephews, grandchildren, best friends, boyfriends, girlfriends,
cousins, and classmates. Gone. Just like that. 34,000 people who will
never be going back to work, school, or home, all because they or
another driver were not driving responsibly. It’s tragic that so
many lives are cut short due to irresponsible driving but there is a
way to reduce the numbers of the staggering death rate of driving in
America. What is this solution? Well, it is a multi step plan that
starts with knowing how to drive properly. The importance of driver
education cannot be overlooked. Knowing how to drive safely and
defensively allows you to make sure that you are not the reason
someone won’t be coming home. Other steps that can be taken to
reduce the death rate of driving include obeying the speed limit,
wearing your seatbelt and making sure that others in the car wear
their seat belts, keeping your focus on the road and your
surroundings at all times, and most importantly, eliminating
distractions while driving, including cell phones.

Far
too many car accidents happen in this day and age as a result of
drivers distracted by their phones while driving. So many accidents
could easily be avoided if drivers would only choose to put down
their phones. One reason I see for people finding it hard to put
down their phones is because they are so absorbed in what is going on
in their phones, whether it be a social media notification or a text
message they feel they need to look at the post or read the message
to know what is going on. They don’t see that by choosing to pick
up their phones they are making the choice to put their life, and
others’ lives, at risk. If people would only stop to compare and
contrast the value of their lives versus the value of whatever is
causing the phone to buzz, they would, hopefully, realize that
nothing on the phone is worth putting their lives on the line for. I
know the value of my life and of others’ and I know that nothing on
my phone is worth the risk. I will continue to remember that
distracted driving as a result of messing with my phone can be deadly
and that nothing is worth the risk. I will continue to choose to not
mess with my phone and stay committed to being a safe and focused
driver.