Save
Yourselves, Save Others

In
today’s society, our youth is always in a rush, whether on the way
to school, to the next music festival, or to the next big party. We
think about the present moment and what is happening in the now.
Priorities consist of loudly playing one’s favorite artist on the
radio, or checking Twitter to see our friend’s latest update. Our
youth feeds into impulsive urges without considering the
consequences. Maybe immaturity is a part of growing up, but there is
a time and place for everything—driving should not be one of them.


We
hear these warnings constantly—to never drink and drive, to never
send text messages as it can be a distraction. So why do we do it?
Simply, our youth makes it a habit because nothing traumatic has
occurred from past experiences. This does not make it acceptable. We
hear stories of strangers mourning as an outcome of reckless driving,
but as soon as we are behind the driving wheel, consequences of our
actions suddenly do not seem like a possibility.


Thankfully,
I personally have never been in a car accident. However, hearing
stories from my workplace and mutual friends have impacted me enough
to be aware of the dangers I can inflict upon myself and others when
I am behind the wheel. Some of the methods that will surely keep the
roads safer, are avoiding the use of phones while driving. It may
seem cliché, but phones are the highest cause of distracted driving
accidents, whether one’s attention was diverted to send a text
message, change the song on their playlist, or record a video. By
simply placing one’s phone in a hidden or obscure location, one
will not be tempted to reach over and partake in actions that could
potentially harm or kill others.


Moreover,
if one urgently needs to use their cell phone, pulling over to the
nearest exit or parking spot is the best option to ensure safety for
yourself and other drivers on the road. If more people realized that
the potential harm one could cause was irreversible, perhaps they
would become more cautious.