Driven to Distraction

Distracted driving, especially amongst young drivers, is a leading cause of accidents. Driver Education is imperative in making young adults learn while in a classroom or online setting and when not actually on the road. Learning the rules and hearing examples of real-life experiences, in additional to watching videos, can all have a lasting impact. During my experience in a driver education class was a powerful video titled “The Last Text” and it had such a lasting impression on me. I vowed when I was 15 to never have my phone and text while driving, at that moment. I am now 18 and proud to say that while I am at the wheel, I have never texted and driven. I have been tempted to on numerous occasions but vivid scenes from this video pop into my head and I know it can wait or I choose to pull over. If this has reduced my possibility of death, then driver education had the impact on me and certainly on many others. Additionally, the drive time experiences you get with a driver’s education teacher is invaluable. My teacher’s name was Rick and he was fun, yet serious and made me a more defensive driver.

Some steps that can be taken to reduce the number of deaths while driving include eliminating distractions. First and foremost, alcohol is a huge distraction for drivers. It impairs you motor functions and the decrease the problem-solving portions of your brain which allow you to make split-second decisions and is a must while driving! When you combine a teenage or any driver, with little experience with alcohol, you are setting up a situation for disaster. Additionally, put your phones down! I am amazed how many people I see driving with one hand on the wheel and their other hand holding up the cell phone at eye level so they can glance at it while also glancing at the road. It absolutely amazes me that drivers feel they can do both. Another step to eliminate distractions is not to drive while drowsy. We are in such a hurry to get everywhere, we forget you can pull over safely and get out of the car at a store or rest stop to just get up and walk. A final step, is to reduce the number of passengers in your car. In the state of Texas, while occupying a provisional license, you can only have one non-family member as a passenger in your car. That means one friend can ride with you when you are driving! These are all steps that can reduce the number of deaths on the road daily.

But by the grace of God, I have never been in a car accident. However, I have seen so many instances of others around me driving irresponsibly. First and foremost is texting while driving or using the cell phone to look up directions. You must have your destination entered in your phone and ready to use before you ever put the car in drive. It amazes me how many people text while driving, sometimes while on a highway going over 70 mph. The risk it puts the driver and the others on the road at, is not worth it. Again, I recall “The Last Text” and I am usually arriving at my destination soon, where you can then respond to a text or call.

The steps I can take to become a better and safer driver are to not be tempted, no matter how bad I want to look or respond to a text, to touch my cell phone while driving. I must remember my actions can affect someone’s life in a split second and not everything can be fixed. Additionally, chose kindness over aggressiveness. Let that car get in front of you, move over so they can pass you, do not honk unless absolutely necessary and do not speed. Also, avoid running red lights. When you really stop to time how long it takes from the second a light turns red to when it turns green, is mere minutes. Is running a red light worth the risk for 60 plus seconds you might loose if you just stop at the yellow light. Other drivers are all on edge in our current society and making them more angry by being aggressive or unkind, can have a disastrous consequence. Not only are you safer but others on the road stay safe as well. Don’t get mad, just let other drivers move on down the road and know that you are not putting yourself at risk and thus becoming a life-long good driver!