When Driving

Preston Jorland

1614 NW 8^th St.

Grand Rapids, MN

55744

November 12, 2021 218-398-3964

DRIVING

The first thing my parents did to prepare my for driving a vehicle was teach me how to drive a golf cart. This taught me the basics to learn the brakes, gas peddle and observation. That followed by Drivers Education classes. Then, Behind the Wheel hands on classes with a trained instructor. I got my drivers license about two years ago. As soon as I get into my car, I turn the phone off and place into the drivers compartment. I continue this procedure to this very day.

I have a zero tolerance for texting and driving at any age, most importantly younger teenagers.

Each year more and more teenagers and adults continue to loose their lives due to being a distracted driver. Distractions take motorists attention off driving and can cause losing control of the vehicle. This includes, but not limited to texting, talking on the phone, eating behind the wheel and the list goes on.

In 2020, distracted driving caused over 2,612 injuries and over 29 deaths. I’ve been blessed that I have not lost a friend or family member from distracted driving. In Minnesota where I live, distracted driving contributed to 11% in crashes. The state of Minnesota passed the “Hands Free Law” in 2019. This means that Minnesota drivers can not hold a phone in their hands while driving. Fines can be hefty if caught. The first ticket is more than $120. Subsequent tickets are more than $300. Put your phone away or get ready to pay!

When drivers are not paying attention, they fail to comprehend or process information from objects in the roadway, even when seeing them. In other words, when you are distracted, your brain and visual processing are not working together. For the past decade, distracted driving has taken U.S. roadways by storm, endangering not only the distracted drivers, but their passengers, pedestrians and others on the road-including bicyclists and joggers. Anytime you divert your attention from driving, you’re distracted. Take the “Pledge” to stop driving distracted.

In the summer of 2021, I was in a car accident. It was dark out and I deer ran out in front of my vehicle. I panicked and swerved. The one thing that I was taught not to do. I was alone in the vehicle. I lost control of the vehicle and hit an embankment. My head hit the top of the ceiling of the vehicle causing a large bump on my head. The safety air bag deployed and the smell of sulfur will be with me for the rest of my life. The damage to the family vehicle was a total loss. A vehicle with only 60,000 miles on it. When I called my parents to shares the news they were only concerned about my safety and the safety of any others. The vehicle can be replaced but they could not replace their only child. The life lesson didn’t stop there. Then came the bill for the tow truck. Paying of the insurance deductible and the increased insurance premium. Car insurance premiums can increase as much as 46% after an accident for a young driver. Higher premiums can stay on your insurance record for three to five years. It didn’t take me long to discover that I had worked all summer to only pay for one bad decision. I felt it was the right thing to do was pay for my mistake that evening. I mistake I carry with me. I am so thankful no one was injured or died. After all the bills were paid I had enough money left to buy a “junker” to get me to and from work and school!

There are avenues to prevent distracted driving. First, put your phone away. If you have a passenger, have them be the designated texter. Limited the number of passengers in your vehicle. Slow down while driving after dark or in compromising weather. No multitasking and always program navigation beforehand.

If I need to check calls or texts, I pull over into a safe area, lock my doors and check important messages at that time. I have no social media accounts. No Facebook. No Instagram. No Twitter, as these applications can be a distraction as well. I’m a member of Life 360 an application that shows my location in case of an emergency. The motto I live by is “Hands on the wheel. Eyes on the Road”.