Eyes Up. Mind Clear. Music Down.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,308 people were killed in 2022 due to distracted driving vehicle accidents alone. This means that the other 39,206 deaths from motor vehicle crashes in the United States that year were caused by something other than distracted driving (IIHS). These statistics are baffling. When I was a junior in high school, I crashed my car and completely ruined someone else’s front bumper. It was a minor collision, but the immense guilt and stress that followed made me think about how awful it must be to take someone’s life due to distracted driving. Life can change in a split second when you’re behind the wheel, and from my experience, being distracted while driving is simply not worth the risk.

The collision happened in my high school parking lot. As I was exiting, I quickly glanced to my left, but a car was blocking my view of the main road. In an attempt to turn right, despite not being able to see, I pressed the gas pedal all the way down to clear the road quickly, and then… BOOM. My heart dropped, and all the color drained from my face as I looked up to see that the other car’s front bumper was completely torn off and shattered on the ground. Even worse, the driver was in tears. She was a younger student, probably new to driving, and I had just traumatized her.Although my view of the main road was obstructed, my music was also extremely loud, and I truly believe our collision could have been avoided if I had been able to hear her car approaching.

I knew that listening to music at high volumes was dangerous and that skipping songs could be a distraction, yet I chose to do it anyway. When you’re alone in a car, it’s easy to disconnect from other drivers on the road. Unfortunately, being careless takes far less effort than being attentive and considerate. I’m very fortunate that my collision was minor because it became an experience I could learn from and use to inform others.

The worst part about being at fault for a collision isn’t the increased expenses, the insurance process, or paying for repairs, it’s the guilt and emotional toll it takes. Even though my accident was minor, the other driver was extremely distraught. I believe her parents had just bought her the car, and she had only recently started driving on a provisional license. The moment I hit her car, I pulled over and ran to her window to check if she was okay. She was shaking, in the middle of a panic attack, and all I could think was that this was entirely my fault. The realization that I had caused this younger student so much distress terrified me. Looking back, I would choose a safe drive home every time over blasting “EARFQUAKE” by Tyler, The Creator at full volume.

Even years later, I still can’t listen to Tyler, The Creator’s music without feeling immense guilt for what happened that day in 2022. The statistics in this essay are from 2022 because that was the year of my collision due to distracted driving. When I see the number 3,308, I realize how lucky I am to be alive. I also ask myself: How many families, communities, workplaces, and classrooms were affected by those deaths? A single action, something as small as turning up the radio, can change someone’s life in seconds, yet most drivers don’t think about that enough.

As these statistics show, being behind the wheel is a privilege that many people don’t take seriously until it’s too late. Although I wish I had never wrecked my car, or the other driver’s car, I am grateful that the experience gave me the opportunity to change my driving habits before I became just another statistic. Since that collision, I’ve made a habit of listening to pre-made playlists at a low volume and turning my phone on Do Not Disturb every time I drive. Missing a text message or a phone call isn’t life-changing, but killing someone or traumatizing them is. It’s easy to gloss over numbers like 3,308 or 42,514 until you or someone you love becomes part of those statistics. In the future, when you’re driving, just remember that every person in a vehicle is human, just like you. They deserve your full attention on the road: Eyes up. Mind clear. Music down.

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