In the Driver’s Seat

I
am heading to work, driving on both the highway and country roads of
Kansas. Summertime crops are high, you cannot see through blind
intersections where storm dampened dirt roads leave no giant dust
trails chasing your vehicle. Wildlife jumping and flying out of
nowhere, along with farmers and workers moving along the roadsides
and fields. All my attention must be on the roads to avoid an
accident. One glance down at my phone, radio, or still-cold breakfast
burrito could be my last living, breathing action.

Drivers
knowing how to safely drive is very important whether it be the first
small lessons or the more complicated and detailed lessons that come
later to the more experienced driver. One lesson of safely driving I
was always taught was to know the surroundings and terrain I am
driving through. Driving to my work is much different from
the beginning of summer to the end when
crops are higher and more people are out during harvest. Today can be
totally different from tomorrow. A rainstorm can go through making
the roads a muddy mess. A driver must safely adapt and switch tactics
based on those changes.

Various
steps can be taken to increase safety with you in the driver’s
seat. It takes a vehicle, on average, five seconds to come to a
complete stop. If I take my eyes off the road, my reaction time slips
to two seconds running my Buick Century into the backend of a grain
trailer. Keeping the phone ringer off and keeping the phone out of
reach is helpful with keeping your eyes on the road. Just hiding your
phone under a pile of sweatshirts does not work because, when you
hear that ding, you instantly have that urge to check that one text.

Passengers
can also cause a distraction to the driver. Driving around town, you
get into a deep conversation with your best friend about where to
eat. You want burgers and fries, while your best friend wants some
ice cream; an argument begins. Then BAM… you rear ended a vehicle
backing out of a parking spot. You had more focus in the food
argument than what was happening on the road in front of you.

I
have experienced many instances where my friends or family are
driving irresponsibly. They are mostly answering a quick text message
here and there. It is rare for them to actually answer the message
themselves. They usually have somebody else in the car answer it for
them.

I
am driving home from work when my phone dings from my passenger seat.
I begin to reach for it, but change my mind. I look up as a deer
jumps out in front of me. I hit my brakes. The deer bounds off into a
nearby field and I continue on my way home. If I would have picked up
my phone, I would have never seen the deer jump in
the road. This
could have been my last living, breathing action.