Distracted Driving Equals Not Arriving

Drivers ed is so important to reduce the number of deaths while driving. Before I took Drivers ed, yes, I knew the basic rules of the road. But, had I not taken Drivers ed, I would not know a lot that I do today while I am driving. I would also not feel as comfortable as I do when I am driving. I thought once I could start driving on my own that I would never feel confident. I was scared, but once I took Drivers ed, I felt different than I thought I would. I was more confident than I thought, and I actually felt really comfortable driving. I felt good about all the rules of the road. I was so engaged when I took the class, and even now when I am driving, all of the rules stick with me. I am always thinking about different things the instructors said while I am driving even if it is little things. When you take the class and learn all the different, various rules, and know what to do in pretty much all situations, it can greatly help with your safety, and everyone else’s on the road.

Something that can reduce deaths in the vehicle is cell phones. That is one of the leading causes of death in a motor vehicle. While I have never had a close family member or friend drive irresponsibly or be in a bad car accident, it is still something that is seen all the time. Cell phones are such a huge distraction to all of us. Almost everyone is so addicted to them, that it seems like we cannot just put them down for one second. People get too cocky that they can drive safely and be on their phone at the same time, but this is untrue for everyone even if you think you are one of the “best drivers in the world.” They can really distract you when you are driving. Whether that be blowing through a stop light or intersection, not going when the light turns green when you are stopped at a red light, drifting into another lane, not seeing that dog or other animal cross or run into the road, not seeing a pedestrian in the street, and more, there are so many dangerous things that your phone can cause you to do. As soon as we get into the car, we need to shut our phones off and put them somewhere that we cannot access them, so they are not a distraction to us.

One step that I can take to become a better and safer driver is making sure I do just the same with my phone. I do not get on my phone when I am driving, but when I feel my watch buzzing, you still get that urge to look down at your phone beside you and see who messaged you. I need to put my phone somewhere that I can not see it so the urge lessens because it is so unsafe to use your phone in a vehicle. To help others become safer on the road, I think we should advocate for putting phones away while you are driving. I really believe that phones are one of the main causes of crashes on the road. Creating posters, websites, things to put on social media, and more can really help put the message out there how unsafe it is to use your phones while driving, and putting it somewhere that it is not accessible can greatly help people not use their phones while driving. Just remember: distracted driving equals not arriving.