When speaking about driving and breaking bad habits, I believe it is vital to make wise decisions when engaging in said activities; however, it is not as easy as we think. There's; an excessive amount of risks involved in driving, and it's to be aware of them and not oblivious. One of the habits I am working on to stop is having manual distractions. The reason I have this issue is because of being more focused on what song I am going to listen to on the road or if someone texted me. Although my reason can not be an excuse, it is something I do, and having manual distractions can cause accidents I do not want to happen. Now, I understand that I have made mistakes and always do, but I do my best to take the correct approaches needed for situations. People pass away every day because of driving recklessly or people around them that are driving inconsiderably. I can speak on a personal account; finding out that someone dear to you has passed because of this is fun; it's not, and we need to find ways to fix these mistakes that people make on accident or purpose. I take this very seriously, and as a result, I have some ideas that I believe can help me from having manual distractions all the time!
Number one would be to Be a good example. The number of kids in cars every day with their parents that do not check their blindspots before changing lanes; or have road rage, causing them to crash into other cars because of anger, or even people that would break check semi truckers, sedans, trucks, etc. These kids watch this happen and take it in as normalcy, a way of life. It is not the way of life, and if one believes in reckless driving- then they should get their driver's license revoked. One of the best ways to encourage others and me to make wiser decisions when it comes to driving is to set good examples for the people that are around me and also for the youth that have witnessed reckless driving. There is a strong possibility that the issues that we face daily can be solved. An example of this working would be by imagining that when you're on the road, people in other cars are people close to your heart. Resulting in more patience and less anger perpetuated on the streets. If I always drive safely and responsibly, my sister will see that and be morally responsible for the same actions. I believe that safe driving can be reinforced in other households as well - if desired.
Another idea is to Talk about the risks. It is vital; to be honest about the risks involved with driving. Talking to my friends and family about the dangers of distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, and even manual distracted driving can save lives. I use this to make sure they and I understand the consequences of making poor decisions when it comes to driving on the road. Without the conversation, we would be letting our kids and people go onto a road where people do not believe in the same values we do about driving safely. Although it is possible to solve these challenges, we have to be circumstantially responsible and take action on the things we have in control.
The third idea is to Offer alternatives: If I know someone who has been drinking. I would offer; to call them a cab or give them a ride home. So in the alternative, if I need to find a song to listen to, I would ask a friend to put the song on for me instead of myself because I now know that it is better to have a safer alternative and safer voyage from a to b for bystanders and the passengers. Encouraging my friends to use ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft if they can not drive consistently in able conditions is a helper to not only them- but also myself. These steps taken helped me understand that if I have to be helpful to others, then it doesn't mean that I am not a person that doesn't need help as well!
Overall, I believe that it's important to encourage others to make wise decisions when it comes to driving. By being a good example, talking about risks, offering alternatives, and being supportive, we can all help each other stay safe on the road.