Driving Free From Audio Distractions

Taylor Yingshi

A sudden swerve. The sound of rubber grinding against pavement. Before I could comprehend the blazing headlights rushing towards my backseat window, my head lurched against an airbag. Over the pounding in my ears, I heard someone’s voice, still audible through the car’s Bluetooth connection.

My friend and I had sat in the backseat together, cracking jokes and watching videos with the volume up, while her mother drove, speaking to a friend using the car’s wireless function. When we turned the corner, another vehicle came from the street opposite and rammed into our side. Later, we found out the other driver had also been on the phone—and the net distraction within both cars had factored into this disastrous, entirely preventable crash.

Thankfully, nobody in the situation sustained permanent injuries. However, many people have not had such luck — according to the CDC, “over 2,800 people were killed and an estimated 400,000 were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver” in the U.S. in 2018. Though most drivers know that they must keep their eyes on the road at all times, this is not enough. Distraction can constitute taking one’s hands off the wheel to eat a snack, or allowing one’s mind to wander away from their driving duties. The Hart Law Firm corroborates that non-visual forms of sensation pose an equal threat to safe driving, stating that “when using an ear piece, your mind is still trying to pay attention to both the road and the conversation, which can cause you to find yourself in a distracted driving collision.” Additionally, the rise of technology—such as phones and Bluetooth—causes drivers to face heightened difficulty with concentration. Young people most frequently interact with technology in their daily lives, which translates directly into their driving practices. Without proper driver education for the next generation, these technological distractions will only heighten the level of preventable car accidents. By further educating young drivers on how non-visual forms of technology such as Bluetooth, radio, and phone calls can lead to unsafe driving habits, driver education can be integral to the prevention of many accidents on the road.

Driver education already emphasizes the importance of distraction-free driving by clarifying many ways that distraction can occur. For instance, the Drivers Ed website cites distraction as applying makeup, adjusting controls, speaking with passengers, smoking, and more. Thus, one should not underestimate the harm caused by non-visual tasks such as a Bluetooth conversation or a loud video playing inside the vehicle. Although many are aware of the dangers of technology, the greatest emphasis continues to be placed on visual distractions like texting while driving. In reality, audio distractions—despite seeming benign in comparison to a clearly harmful activity like texting or surfing the web—also create an environment where the driver cannot place their full focus on the task at hand. Driver education can prepare young drivers to counter these forms of danger through raising awareness and offering solutions to the dangers of loud or intrusive audio in the car.

In certain parts of the US, drivers under the age of 18—and sometimes, under the age of 21—may not use audio-based, wireless communication when driving. The ePermitTest affirms that, “no permit or license holder under 18 years old may operate a motor vehicle while also using a wireless communication device” in 37 states and the District of Columbia. Though this is not the national law, driver education can benefit from teaching kids about why this law exists and how listening to audio or engaging in conversation has the potential to endanger lives. Since distraction also arises from passengers, driver education can further expand on how young people should confront their friends and family riding with them about keeping the volume down and maintaining level-headedness in the car. Without a proper understanding of the dangers of audio activity, young drivers may believe they can bear the multitasking of listening to conversations while driving, which could engender fatal consequences. Another step that can be taken is encouraging young drivers to completely unplug from devices such as wireless Bluetooth even after they have passed the age where these are prohibited, since older drivers are not invulnerable to the disturbance caused by audio.

Since the accident, I have become a firm supporter of the importance of driver education in reducing tragedies on the road. By sharing my story and garnering attention towards this lesser known, but highly imperative issue, I hope to offer a new perspective on how education can prevent car accidents and save lives. As I complete my driver education, I intend to stay conscious of the audio sensory input that I receive in the car and remove any potential distractions around me, whether it be a loud music video or a Bluetooth conversation. If more people take these steps, I believe society will have a generation of safer, more technology-conscious drivers.

Works Cited

“Cell Phone Restrictions for Drivers in the US: Texting, Teen Drivers, Wireless.” EPermittTest

“Distracted Driving.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Dec. 2020, www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/distracted_driving/index.html#:~:text=In%20the%20U.S.%20in%202018,crashes%20involving%20a%20distracted%20driver.

“Hands-Free Doesn’t Mean Risk-Free: Why Talking on a Hands-Free Device Can Still Cause a Distracted Driving Accident.” The Hart Law Firm, www.thehartlawfirm.com/library/hands-free-devices-cause-of-distracted-driving-crashes.cfm.