A Single Life at a Time

A Single Life at a Time

As soon as you step inside your car, fasten your seatbelt, insert your key, ignite the engine, and shift your car into drive mode, you are not only responsible for your own life, but you are also accountable for the lives of every living being that you pass on the way to your final destination. Likewise, you entrust your own safety in the hands of others commuting through the same roads-with hopes that every driver that you will come across will be a responsible driver. Distracted driving, however, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, was the key cause that claimed: “2,841 lives in 2018 alone.” In a society driven by technology, distracted driving, is, unfortunately, not only a significant issue that continues to arise staggering numbers of injuries and deaths nationwide, but it has also become the norm.

The onset of cellphones-for my generation, especially-has resulted in many being conditionally dependent on it for every minute of their daily lives, even when driving-believing that swiftly scanning a text or scrolling for the next hit song will not prompt a consequential outcome. This false belief, however, is simply not true. In fact, the NHTSA has defined distracted driving in three types: manual, visual, and cognitive distractions. Simply put, if an individual does not have his/her complete attention on the road ahead with an awareness of their surrounding environment, then the person is a distracted driver. I am part of the problem.

Music, for me, is essential for a good road trip and necessary for a quick drive to the local grocery store seven minutes away. I, however, occasionally find myself picking up my phone during my journey to quickly tap the skip function, overlooking that this action could potentially put me and others at risk. Although I aim to make sure that there are not any potential dangers, and haven’t personally taken part in an accident, there is not a guarantee that nothing will change instantaneously. Therefore, I now queue the songs I would like to listen to before driving away, settle with what is playing on the radio, or just drive in silence. In addition, I use the “do not disturb” function on my phone to avoid any further distractions, such as text messages or other unnecessary notifications. I also have zero sense of direction; therefore, I also use the voice command function on Google Maps to retain my entire focus on the road ahead. If I happen to be the passenger, I encourage whoever is driving to put aside their phones and allow me to take care of any distractions that may arise.

I cannot say that I am a model driver-yet; however, I hope that by continuing to be mindful of staying alert while driving, being proactive in encouraging distracted free driving, and relying on others to gain proper driving education and abilities, together, we can help decrease the number of lives lost due to distracted driving a one life at a time.