Keep Yourself Alive

My name is Alexander Waldrop and I’m addressing the incredibly important topic of distracted driving. I could easily quote all kinds of eye-opening statistics regarding distracted driving from that past several years, but I believe my actions are much stronger than my words. With this in mind, having turned 18 only a few days ago, I did not attempt to get my North Carolina drivers license until the day after I turned 18. One of the primary reasons I made this very important choice is that there’s a certain level of understanding that teens lack when it comes to paying attention and being highly conscientious in order to avoid entirely preventable distractions such as texting, their cell phones in general, or prioritizing their Apple play list while driving. Viewing or replying to texts, as well as music selections can wait. Neither is worth your life, or for that matter, the lives of others. Don’t become a distracted driver and regret it for the rest of your life. We cannot turn back time.

The number of young drivers who become a statistic of distracted driving in the United States is absolutely alarming. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving unnecessarily took 3,142 lives in 2019. The statistics have grown more rapidly in 2020 and ’21. One simple text view at 55mph can cause a driver to lose awareness of the road for up to the length of a football field. Bottom line, that’s like completely shutting your eyes for 5 seconds while driving, which nobody in their right mind would intentionally do.

Since the age of 15 when I first became eligible for a learners permit in North Carolina, I’ve committed myself to avoid distracted driving at all costs. As badly as I wanted to get my license for selfish reasons, I waited until after I turned 18. The vast majority of kids simply don’t have the neurological wiring to fully comprehend the risks and responsibilities of being behind the wheel. Distracted driving is no longer an uncommon occurrence. Just yesterday as I was pulling out of the mall, I was almost hit by a driver who was distracted by their phone. As I signaled and began to pull forward to make a left turn, I was waiting for the other driver to make eye contact with me before proceeding, but they never did. I could see that she was looking down at her phone and either smiling or laughing. From her perspective, it was as if I wasn’t on the road at all, getting ready to turn in front of her. Had I not been paying attention we very likely would have gotten into an accident. While the accident would have been minor and non-life-threatening, there are much more serious examples.

When my mom was in high school her best friend Macelyn was distracted by a hair brush that she dropped on her floorboard while on a back road on her way home one night. When she attempted to pick up the brush she crossed over the center line and was struck head on by another vehicle and was tragically killed. My mom traumatically lost her best friend in an instant. Macelyn had just turned 18. Her accident impacted my mother’s way of thinking from that day forward, and I’m certain her experience rubbed off on me over time as well.

I feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility regarding my continuing education and how I might positively impact my community as I venture into my college life as well as my professional career beyond school. But in order to have any sort of impact, I must first be here to make a difference and have an influence. My future goal to have a family one day and to have a long lasting career would be completely irrelevant if I were to become a distracted driver statistic at a young age. Please make the right decision when it comes to distracted driving. It’s just not worth it.

Don’t become an unnecessary statistic. Keep yourself alive.

Entrant: Alexander Waldrop

Parents: Craig & Julie Waldrop

Address: 15207 Wedgewood Commons Drive, Charlotte, NC 28277

Phone: 910-733-7398

Email: [email protected]

Home School Graduate: Wedgewood Commons Classical / June, 2021

GPA: 4.0 (official high school transcript attached)

College: Charleston Southern University / Fall, 2021

Parents: Craig & Julie Waldrop