Three Letters

“Wya?”

“Omw”

Three letters.

Three small taps.

A few seconds not looking up.

But its four small taps.

You could not send it.

Every year me and my friends make the same kind of joke, “Oh stay off the roads the juniors can drive now! Or the sophomores are taking driving lessons now” but with these lighthearted comments comes the true threat of new drivers. Some do it to be cool, others cannot put their phone down for a few minutes but time and time again I see teenage drivers looking down instead of up. In the new world of instant messaging it’s great to be connected, but the extent some are willing to go to so they miss nothing is frightening. Driver’s education really helped emphasize how much responsibility comes with driving. But others did not seem to get the message. Being distracted behind the wheel can not only harm you, but others in your vehicle and other drivers on the road. Incidents in my town have hit extremely close to home regarding distracted drivers and showed me how this can happen to anyone. I have come to the conclusion that missing a text message is nothing compared to changing another person or persons life forever. This is a concept many fall short of understanding, even people who went through the same driving program as me. One of the biggest things I have noticed is that this commonly happens with people who have phone mounts. They are great for directions but right in the line of vision to see a new message, snapchat or instagram notification etc. I strongly believe if we put our phones out of reach and have things we need like directions on a screen, using phones while driving will go substantially down. As for those without the touch screens I think muting all notifications while you are driving may give some the common, “FOMO or fear of missing out” feeling, but in the end will only benefit us in keeping the roads safer. We all share the roads. Driving to these standards is hard to uphold especially when examples are being displayed from a pre-driving age. Things like an adult figure driving with their knees and telling me “You can only do this when you’re 45” or using their phones despite telling me how irresponsible people using their phones are, taking turns that end up in other lanes and dangerous driving swerving in and out of cars on the highway. It’s always baffled me why people do such things, maybe the rush of speeding or doing something wrong but in most cases it’s to get somewhere quicker. Is getting somewhere a few minutes faster really worth a tragedy? I guess for some it is. Kids learn by example despite all of the virtues adults try to convey verbally. They mimic people they look up to and unsafe driving practices as such can be extended through generations. Despite being shown poor examples of driving growing up, I have come to the realization myself of how important being responsible is. I make sure to show these actions to my sister, her friends or anyone that gets in my car. Unfortunately I can not come out and say that will cure all unsafe drivers but I want to be the example people remember. I want people to feel safe while in my responsibility. But the annoying thing is, these habits are so easily changed and tragedies so easily avoidable. Drive with your hands. Put your phone down. Make a correct turn. Follow the speed limits and do not push your limits especially when going 65MPH+ on highways. Though it’s so easy for me to say this, many still drive to their own accord. People will not change because of something that might happen. They would change after something happened because of their actions. It’s upsetting that something has to happen before reality becomes something to care about. We all have to remember, nobody is a perfect driver, especially going 25 over with your phone in hand.