Emma Wallin

The
Hidden meaning behind Driving

There are millions
of cars all over the world. Behind every car is a driver. A driver is
a title that carries a lot of weight. Lots of people know how to
drive, how to push on the gas and turn the wheel; but very few
actually know what driving really means.
Every driver
operates differently but they all have the same responsibilities,
yet, many seem to have forgotten them or not even known them at all.
As a driver, there is not only one life at stake. One driver has the
power to protect or end many people’s lives. Over time, they seem
to forget how many lives are involved when driving a car. There is
also that aspect of trust that one obtains when becoming a driver. As
an individual, parents, teachers, and other people all trust that
someone as a driver will do the right things and be safe. There are
lots of aspects that go into being a driver and unfortunately, the
knowledge of those aspects seem to be slipping away.
Being
a driver in 2019 is difficult because there are so many distractions.
There are now iPhones, touchscreen stereos, light up signs, surround
sound, air-conditioned seats, and many other features that take away
from the actual act of driving. A study once showed that there are
three stages of driving. The conscious and aware driver, the
conscious driver, and the unconscious driver. Sadly, many people have
become the unconscious driver type which means, they do the motions
of driving but they are thinking about other things and rarely paying
attention. This mode of just going through the motions is why there
are so many accidents every year. By taking away that third mode, the
attentiveness and safety on the road could increase drastically.
That third mode
occurs all because of distractions. People believe they are good
enough drivers to be able to operate a car but also eat lunch, call
their friends and pick their favorite songs on their playlist.
Multitasking while driving is unrealistic. If all crazy light up
build boards, phones, and exessive music systems were taking out of
driving and driving really went back to actually being about
operating the car there would be a lot fewer accidents.
Driving is never
just as simple as one word. There is the act of driving, there are
distractions, other people, decision making, and so much more that
goes into being a driver. Having lost sight of what being driver
really means and what it is all about is why the accident rates
continue to climb. If everyone decides to go back to how driving
originally was and is willing to drive the right way and have that
responsibility; roads to go back to being a safe place once again.