A Single Second

The shock of the crash didn’t come from the impact. It wasn’t from the sudden jerk of the car and the screeching tires. I was jostled from side to side, and my head hit the window of the door next to me. My dad kept us steady, just until he was able to stop. Confusion came in the daze of it all. At first, a chuckle came from me. I thought my dad took the turn too narrow, grazing the curb as we pulled into the restaurant parking lot. Concern, then fear, then anger flashed through my fathers face. He assured my safety, got out of the car, and made his way to the woman with tears down her face.

Thoughts were dizzy, and comprehension of what just happened took longer than normal. The pieces came together to form the fuzzy picture. The woman had rear-ended our truck, throwing me and my father onto the curb and jostled about. The reason? A phone in her hand, and a text. That is what started the end of my volleyball career. That is what has forced me to suffer with incurable neck pain to this day. I think about that day a lot, not because it was incredibly tragic, but because it could have been if the situation was just a little bit different.

My story is one that many Americans have shared. It is estimated that 1.6 million crashes happen each year due to cell phone usage of some kind. In addition, 2020 saw it’s highest rate of highway fatalities with 38.680 people dying, the highest number of highway fatalities since 2007 according to reuters.com. Without the proper regulations and attention brought to this issue, there is no hope of improving the safety of everyone around us.

One of the biggest distractions affecting the driving world today is obviously the use of cell phones. People are obsessed with the tiny boxes of technology so much that they feel the need to use it, even at the risk of endangering themselves and others. Though it is argued that this is a teenager problem, the guilt also resides in the adults. New systems need to be implemented into our generation to prohibit the use of cell phones while driving a vehicle. As we work to improve this kind of technology, the discipline rate for cell phones used on the road should be stricter, with a higher emphasis on education as to the danger of those actions.

Though overlooked, that is part of the extreme benefit of programs such as Drivers Ed. Through these programs, beginner drivers not only learn the important skills that they need in order to operate their car safely and ensure the safety of those around them, but they are also learning about the danger that comes with driving. People, teenagers especially, have a problem with respecting the authority of their parents. If they are simply hearing “Don’t touch that phone” or “Pay attention!” from their nagging mother, they are much less likely to listen to what is being said. However, coming from an instructor, backed by statistics, anecdotes and overall authority, this information can be taken more seriously by those in the courses and is more likely to have an impact on those taking the course. It is estimated that those who do not participate in a driver’s education class are 24% more likely to be involved in a fatal or injury inducing accident.

This is not a black and white solution to a problem that has been going on forever. However, everyone needs to do their part to ensure the safety of everyone while driving. For example, increased police patrol on highways or accident-prone areas. With a police presence, people become more aware of their surroundings and take every precaution necessary to abide by the law, though they should be doing that anyway. Encouraging more parents to enroll their teenagers in drivers education helps to grow and educate the next generation and cut down the problem at the root. Having a more extensive process for getting your driver’s license would most likely also come with a decrease in fatalities on the road. If wannabe drivers were required to have more track practice, knowledge of the roads, and mandated classes, the overall education and safety of our roads would be improved.

As a driver, especially one who has suffered the consequences of a car accident, I do everything I can each day to keep myself and those around me safe. When I get in my car, I buckle my seatbelt and observe everything around me. I put my phone in my purse that is on the floorboard of my passenger side, I will not need it until I get to my destination. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email will always be there when you get back. You never know what will happen if you just look down for even one single second. One text message could not only change your life, but the life of an innocent person just driving down the same road.