Education and Distracted Driving

Driving irresponsibly has become a major issue in the U.S and is a leading cause of death, especially amongst young adults. There are many things that can be counted as irresponsible driving, some of these examples include texting while driving, drinking, speeding, passenger distractions, etc. Many of these issues could be solved by educating teens about the importance of driving responsibly and making sure that they are paying attention to the road at all times. Personally, I have rear ended someone due to distracted driving and it was a very terrifying experience to know that while no one did get hurt, there could have been serious injuries. Since then, I have focused on becoming a better and more responsible driver to ensure that it doesn’t happen again and I believe a lot of my peers could use more education on how to not drive distracted.

A main issue with teens today is texting while driving. Many states like Oregon have a no phone rule while driving that prohibits the use of cell phones or electronic devices while driving. While this rule is helpful as a deterrent, it can be hard to enforce and many people end up following it very loosely. Some ways that I think teens should be taught to not use their phone is to put the phone on silent or do not disturb. Not being able to see the notifications makes them less likely to feel the need to check their phone. It’s also a good idea to always have a passenger search up directions or rest stops when needed instead of the driver.

Another cause of distracted driving is distractions that might come from music, friends or family who are also in the car. Generally, new drivers start with just their parents or a guardian in the vehicle to supervise them and then are allowed other passengers after 6 months to a year of getting their license. During the time in which the new driver is only allowed a guardian, they tend to be exposed to less distractions then they would with a car full of friends. Because of this, I feel that parents should be encouraged to turn the music up, talk or just overall be louder then sitting quietly and letting the driver drive. Obviously this would come with a large amount of trust from the passenger and should only be done in safe areas or in a way that if the driver is distracted, there is low risk of accidents. But in this way, drivers can get more comfortable with louder noises and distractions while driving and they can be more prepared for when they are driving with a larger group of people or areas with high congestion.

My accident occurred with very little inside distraction. There were no passengers in either vehicle, I was not on my phone or trying to switch my music. Instead, I got distracted by a gas station’s lights coming on and when I looked over to see what the light was, I rear ended the car in front. This was genuinely a lapse of concentration and thankfully no one was hurt and both cars ended up okay but it shows how easily a driver can be distracted and not realize that a car is coming towards them or that a light is red. Since then, I’ve been much more careful about keeping my eyes on the road, stopping with plenty of time at lights and keeping more distance between my car and the one in front. I get nervous when driving with friends and notice that they aren’t driving as focused or are getting too close to a car and I’ve had to ask a few of my friends to stop texting and driving because it makes me uncomfortable. Some have mocked this request and I think that’s why many people don’t speak up more about driving safely or at least not while texting because it’s become a cool thing to do. This is honestly more terrifying that many teens encourage their friends to drive recklessly for the adrenaline rush and it’s important to emphasize how badly driving recklessly can impact someone’s life. The issue is that many teens chase the thrill and believe that something like a major car crash won’t happen to them. I think a good way to educate them on this would be to have victims of major car crashes come in and speak about their experience and how it affects them. Getting teens and new drivers to understand the full impact of their actions is important to making sure they act safely. Awareness, education, and practice are the best ways to reduce the number of deaths caused by driving and keep everyone on the roads safe.