This Time, it Could Be Me

Recently my school attended a mock crash. The point of the performance was to show kids the immense impact one mistake can make while driving. Unfortunately, most of my classmates did not take it very seriously and they mocked or laughed at the actors. I think what kids do not realize nowadays is that they are not untouchable. Just because they have drunk and driven, texted while driving, or traveled at many miles per hour over the speed limit and gotten away with it, does not mean that will happen every time. With this in mind, most kids will not grasp that concept until something happens to them personally or to someone they love.

To get kids to see the danger of distracted driving, sometimes you have to expose them to the results of their reckless behavior. That does not mean dragging them to a crash scene and showing them the scattered bodies and mangled cars. Instead, just periodically show them videos or pictures to remind them what could happen. Most parents would rather not expose their kids to those scenes. However, I would much rather have my kids see something like that and live than continue to be reckless and hurt themselves and possibly others.

One too many people in my life have been affected by the dangers of distracted or reckless driving. Then there are those in my life who are aware of the possible casualties yet continue to text and drive anyway. It is frightening to be in a car with a person that is texting and driving. If you mention that they should be aware of someone or something on the road, they snap at you. On the other hand, if they almost hit something and you did not say anything, then they point fingers at you for not paying attention. In reality, it does not matter how long a person has been driving, or how much experience they claim to have. Unexpected things happen all the time on the road, and someone looking down at their phone for just one second can cause some of the most tragic accidents.

So far I’ve talked about the dangers of texting and driving. However, there is also the fact that drunk driving causes about 31% of all car accidents (Drunk). We would hope that number one, our kids would not be underage drinking, and number two, not driving while under the influence. Sadly, in today’s culture, the partying lifestyle that so many kids have adopted has become normal. Kids are even more prone to get into accidents while intoxicated with this new mindset. With this in mind, parents can do a few things to help. Firstly, make sure you are a safe space for your kids to come to when they are in a situation where they have been drinking and they do not feel prepared to drive. You create a much better scenario when you tell your kids to call when they are drunk to make sure they get home safe than to frighten them so much that they do not come to you and they get injured. Secondly, if you are a parent that does not want their kids going out and partying at all, find a compromise with your kids. The reality is that if your kids want to do something, it does not matter if you tell them they can do it or not. Therefore, you should talk to your kids and figure out a game plan. Have them bring a friend that is responsible to stay sober and drive them home. Or tell them to let you know when the party is over so you can drive them home yourself. The same thing goes for adults. Although you might not have a parent to keep you in line, you are still responsible for your actions. That means that you have to decide to be safe for yourself, rather than to escape a punishment from your authority figure. In this instance, if an adult plans on drinking and later has to drive themselves home, they could come up with a safe drinking plan that sobers them up before they drive. Or, if you have a friend that is willing to be the designated driver, bring them along. And if all else fails, just call a driver. Most towns have a driving system set in place to make sure people get home safely. Or there is always Uber, Lyft, or a taxi.

Sometimes actions speak louder than words. If you can not get those around you to see the consequences of their actions by talking to them, try setting a good example for them when you are behind the wheel. Keep your phone tucked away, wear your seatbelt, follow all the rules of the road, make sure you are awake and alert, etc. When people see how easy it is to be a safe driver and still enjoy the ride, they might just consider doing those things themselves. And always remember that just because you have gotten away with reckless behavior while driving so far, does not mean you are invincible. Thousands of accidents could have been avoided if people would have just focused on the road and their driving while being completely clear-headed. Rather than reading that text your friend just sent that probably could have waited. Or having a few drinks and claiming you feel fine. Nobody wants to be the cause of a traffic jam on a highway due to a collision or the face behind the murder of someone’s son or daughter. The next time you consider attempting distracted driving, say to yourself, “This time, it could be me”.