Split Second Distraction

Split Second Distraction

Every
child looks forward to their 16th birthday. For many it’s the day
they are able to start driving and have an ounce of freedom. However,
teens are unaware of the responsibility they hold every time they sit
in the driver’s seat. Parents shouldn’t be scaring their children,
but rather informing them of the consequences distracted driving can
have and how to avoid it. There are three different types of
distractions: visual, manual, and cognitive. Examples include, but
are certainly not limited to, eating while driving, using your
navigation system, changing the radio station/song, and most
commonly, texting and driving. According to TeenSafe, every day 11
teens die due to some form of phone usage. Roughly 6,000 deaths a
year. The United States Department of Transport claims that 1.6
million car accidents occur while drivers are on their phones,
resulting in 2.35 million victims of severe injury. These numbers
don’t truly have an impact on kids until they witness it for
themselves. Don’t witness it for yourself.

February 2nd, 2019, a girl I
had gone to school with was driving and looked down for a split
second. Little did she know that the split second she wasn’t paying
attention would change her life forever. Not acknowledging the
crosswalk, she ended up hitting, and killing, a college student. A
fraction of a second is all it takes. Less than a week ago one of my
friends was driving to go visit family that lived in a different
town. While trying to change the song on the radio, he hit the
guardrailing. Turing his wheel sharply, trying to stay on the road,
he over corrected it and flipped his truck. Luckily he was fine but
his car was totaled and he was blessed that he wasn’t more injured
than he was. About a year ago one of my best friends was driving home
and was sending out a text. She was on the interstate and didn’t
realize how fast she was going, closing in on the car in front of
her. She ended up hitting the car, totalling her car, and the medics
told her that it was a miracle she was still alive. No one is prone
to having an accident. Wrecks happen all the time, especially when
you least expect them.

Reducing the number of deaths
is as simple as putting your phone down and making sure it’s on
silent. Placing your phone on silent assures that you won’t hear
any incoming notifications, eliminating the temptation of looking at
your phone. I strongly urge parents also to get the Life360 app. This
app not only allows you to know where your child is, but if you get
the premium version you are also able to see when and where they use
their phone while they are in the car AND notifies you if someone in
your family has been in a wreck. Grabbing a snack before leaving can
make a huge impact as well! Taking your hands off the wheel for any
reason is never a smart decision, especially if you’re just trying
to grab a handful of chips! Get rest before you drive! Driving tired
is almost as bad as driving intoxicated. Your reaction time is slower
the more tired you get, increasing the chances of you getting in a
wreck!