Distracted Driving

Andrew
Burget

In
the Driver’s Seat Scholarship

15
March 2020

Distracted
Driving

“Distracted
driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving,
including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking,
talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo,
entertainment or navigation system — anything that takes your
attention away from the task of safe driving”(NHTSA). There are
three types of distracted driving; Visual Distraction(taking your
eyes off the road), Manual Distraction(taking your hands off the
wheel), and Cognitive Distraction(taking your mind off of
driving)(CDC). I personally have some experience with distracted
driving. My friends and I spend a lot of time together. Sometimes we
stay each others’ houses and sometimes we just go out and do
things. When we go out, one of us has to drive. I am the youngest out
of my close friend group so I was the last one with my license. Now
that I have my license, I always am the one driving my friends around
because I would rather drive my friends than be driven by my friends.
Some of my friends drive faster than others. Also, some of my friends
blare their music which is a distraction. I don’t want to ride with
them with their music blaring and them getting in an accident.
“Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 2,481 lives in 2018
alone. Among those killed: 1,730
drivers, 605 passengers, 400 pedestrians and 77
bicyclists”(NHTSA).
Drivers can be distracted in so many ways. “Texting is the most
alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off
the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of
an entire football field with your eyes closed”(NHTSA). If these
stats haven’t shocked you, I do not know what will. What can be
done to stop or limit distracting driving? Geico suggests to only use
your phone in emergency situations. I believe drivers should put
their phone somewhere where they can’t access it. If you’re
feeling drowsy, pull off the road(Geico). You shouldn’t be driving
if you’re tired. Also, Geico advises people to limit your
passengers, avoid eating while driving, and learn to multi-task
outside of your vehicle. The more passengers there are in the
vehicle, the bigger chance of a distraction occurring. If you are
hungry while you are driving, stop somewhere to get food and don’t
eat it while you’re driving. “Each day in the United States,
approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in
crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver(CDC). That
statistic frustrates me. People need to be careful and cautious
driving. In conclusion, Distracted driving needs to be put to a stop.
People need to realize that before it’s too late. Sharon Heit once
said, “In a split second, you could ruin your future, injure or
kill others, and tear a hole in the heart of everyone you love.”