In the Driver’s Seat

The development of technology is easily one of humanity’s greatest accomplishments. From the telegraph to the touch screen, we truly are remarkable beings. However, with every invention made to solve a problem a new set of problems tends to occur. According to the CDC, distracted driving has resulted in 9 people being killed every day in the United States. I don’t understand how someone can be so blissfully unaware that they do affect others. They can do something so small and unimportant that it turns into something devastating and fatal.

Admittedly, I have not always been aware of how I might affect people either. Distracted driving has affected my life by making me conscious in pursuit of my provisional license. When securing my learner’s permit, I didn’t really study consistently. It was only when my mom would nag me that I would try to learn. As a result, I had just barely passed with 22 out of 25 questions correct. I subconsciously sabotaged myself due to the fear of driving I have. However, as I am becoming older and now working, transportation has become more of a necessity. One that my mom can’t always provide. My mentality shifted when sometime last year I was with my mom driving home after picking up dinner. My mom came to a firm halt and began screaming and crying. I had not been paying attention to the road, so I simply looked up at her in confusion. I turn my head to the road to see a woman lying face down in the middle of the intersection. She was in a pool of her own blood, and I could clearly see chunks of her brain flattened on the pavement with fresh tire marks in it. I couldn’t help but think about how I walk almost anywhere if I can and that easily could have been me or if I didn’t begin to take my studies, I could cause something just as fatal. When we made it home my mom made it a point to pray that she would somehow survive. Unfortunately, the next day my mom let me know that the news said she had not survived, and the driver had been texting while driving. This experience made me realize how flawed my mentality was. I’d hear stories on the news but those were simply stories. It could never be me, I used to think. It wasn’t until the scene was set right before my eyes that I truly couldn’t deny it. I didn’t waste any time and began studying on my own and really paying attention in these classes, so I know what to do in intense situations and know how to hopefully avoid them altogether.

Before then, I remember the first time I was offered the opportunity to drive. I was 13 at the time but that didn’t matter to my grandfather who lived in an area where the sight of tumbleweed wouldn’t surprise me. The roads were long, narrow, and barely illuminated. They were in the middle of fields of beige grass as tall as me. I said no to his offer despite his attempts to persuade me, “I have been driving since I was about your age, there’s no harm in it!” he said. It didn’t matter what he said because I had a phobia of driving ever since my teacher showed our class a series of videos on the dangers of driving. Those videos popped into my head during that moment. I knew because of them that I was not even the legal age for a permit. This shows how impactful informational videos can be, especially if shown at an early age. To get your provisional license, you must take a class on the regulations, terminology, and general knowledge on motor vehicles and roads and already have a permit. However, I believe informational videos should be shown to children around the age of 12-13, prior to securing a permit so they are more conscious of the decisions they make on the road. It should be mandatory and taught in school. Even if you have no intention of driving this is information that should be common because you never know when you will have to operate a vehicle in the direst of situations.

In conclusion, distracted driving is a matter that should not be taken lightly. It is heartbreaking that so many people lose their life over something preventable. After my experiences with driving and learning about motor vehicle safety I have not only made it a point to be as responsible as a driver I can be but to also not take life for granted. I am so thankful that I am still here and am being given the opportunity to further my education. If you take nothing else away from what I have said, please listen to this. Do not take your life for granted. I am certain you have experienced unimaginable hardships, but you did overcome it and will continue to overcome it because life did not end when whatever you went through occurred.