My Own Faults

A Dodge Ram emblem hangs on the wall of my bedroom. It was on the trailer hitch of the 2004 truck my father gave me, before a moment’s mistake broke it off. I lowered my awareness for a moment. Fortunately, it was only a $25 emblem. Unfortunately, the accident involved another vehicle. At the time, it was my own impatience that served as a distraction, causing me to make a $1200 mistake. However, I recognize that there are other distractions that can jeopardize students—and anyone else—on the road.

There are always small distractions when anyone is driving. Anything from adjusting air condition and windows to changing music can contribute to mistakes—including deadly crashes. Many of these distractions can be handled with the help of forethought. For example, I do not like listening to advertisements on the radio. To resolve this, I use CDs that have music I enjoy! Granted, CDs require the same discipline as a smartphone. I only change CDs when I am parked safely. I use that same principle for my phone: I set it to vibrate so that I can be aware of calls and texts, however it is not disruptive to my behavior on the road. If I am expecting a call or a need to respond, I can pull over on a quiet road or find a parking lot before answering.

The most dangerous distraction is not external. Vehicles, like radios and smartphones, are tools designed to take someone from point A to point B. As tools, they are dependent on the human behind the wheel. Being in too much of a rush is dangerous. As my father says, “it is more important to get there slower or even late, than never arriving at all.” I say this because many people are distracted by things outside of their automobiles. These pressures make them rush or speed, increasing the risk of an accident. Alternatively, thoughts other than driving reduce a driver’s focus, increasing the likelihood of an accident.

I learned this when I was little. My mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when I was eight years old. Not long after, she lost her driver’s license after a series of accidents—including one with me in the backseat. Fortunately, I have no lasting injuries from the accident. However, my mother’s inability to focus resulted in the car veering off the road and into a ditch. How can one disease be so severe? Over quarter of her brain has been damaged by the disease in addition to parts of her lower spine. The issues in her head were only compounded by her desire to get home.

Fortunately, people are often aware of when they are in a hurry. I have learned to recognize this in myself, especially after my previous accident. I wanted to get home quickly after a school day. However, I park at end of the parking lot. On that day, there was a car parked in the spot behind me—something that never really happened. It was busier in the parking lot than usual, due to some school event. This meant that the line of cars exiting the parking lot was preventing me from pulling forwards, out of my space. Naturally, I attempted reversing instead. In a truck, it is impossible to see a car immediately behind you with any mirrors. I did not see the car directly behind me that I hit and scratched. Unfortunately, the plastic surface could not be polished or repainted to remove the damage, instead it required replacement. I only lost a dodge emblem mounted on my trailer hitch—the same one on my bedroom wall.

This accident could have been worse though. What if someone was between our vehicles or I made another mistake in my hurry to get home? Impatience is often a great distraction for me, especially when I focus on the destination more than the journey. How do I handle this? The first thing I can do is to take a moment to recognize that my arrival is more important than arriving late. I can also change the music I am listening to. Doing this ensures that I will not hype myself even more than I already am because of a headbanging CD. It also helps to recognize that the speed limit is, in fact, a limit. If I am excited or in a hurry, it helps me to drive a little slower. Being 5 miles per hour under the highway speed limit will still get me to my destination at approximately the same time. I will not be a hazard by going only slightly under the speed limit, it just means that I must use the left lane.

I have learned from my past mistake. Fortunately, I had the privilege of learning from my mistake and ultimately having no harm done to any person. I have established a small routine and strategy to handle my own impatience on the road and avoid the distraction it causes. After all, the distractions inside a person’s head are often the hardest to tune out or avoid. Despite this, I have another reminder when I come home. The Dodge Ram emblem on my wall is more than just an emblem; it is a memory of a situation that could have been far worse.