After teenagers have been driving for only a couple of years, we suddenly think we’re invincible. We either haven’t been pulled over or in an accident. I’m only 19 years old, but I think I have so much experience behind the wheel. When I’m driving, I will only go on my phone to change the music, but this is still distracted driving. I’ve recently gotten into the habit of putting podcasts into the queue so I know that what I want to listen to next will come on next. This is very helpful when my drives are at least an hour long. I put two podcasts in the queue and then I just drive to my destination without going on my phone. However, this isn’t the case with shorter drives. With shorter drives, it doesn’t make sense to listen to a 30-minute podcast when the drive is only 10 minutes long. My shorter drives would consist of me putting on a playlist, then skipping a couple of songs until I see one I want to listen to. One thing I can do to fix this habit is to put songs in the queue. It sounds like an easy thing to do, but when your habit is just getting in your car and leaving, it can be difficult. Breaking habits is never an easy task, especially those you’ve been practicing for years. Every time I grab my keys and I’m about to leave, instead, I’ll take the extra minute and add songs or podcasts to my queue. For the times I forget, I’ll either have to suck it up and just listen to whatever is on, or I’ll pull over if possible, and get everything situated. It just adds a little bit of time to the drive, but it’s the safest option for everyone.
When I pull up next to someone at a red light, I look over to see if the person is on their phone or paying attention to the road. Sadly, the majority of the time, the driver is going back and forth from looking at their phone and the stoplight. I’m amazed that more people aren’t caught on their phones while driving. I wish vehicles had a way to keep the driver’s phone off when the vehicle isn’t in “park.” I know some of the newer vehicles make it so you can’t connect your phone to the car’s bluetooth when the car is in “drive.” I believe that this is the first step in the right direction.
Something I’ve noticed about my driving is that I don’t turn my head to talk to the people in my car. I’m usually pretty good about keeping my eyes on the road. For the moments when I take my eyes off the road, something could still happen. An animal could jump out in front of my car, someone could brake hard in front of me, or I simply just lose control because I’m not looking where I’m going. My friends and I have agreed that we will remind each other to keep our eyes on the road at all times. We have a saying we like to use to almost keep it light-hearted, “there are valuable lives in the car.” This phrase reminds me of something my grandma told her kids and tells me whenever I’m about to drive, “We can replace the car, not you.” This is a saying that I will be keeping in the family. I’ll tell it to my kids and grandkids. It helped teach me to be a defensive and safe driver. I always have her in the back of my head reminding me that whatever might distract me from being safe isn’t worth it.
Recognizing our mistakes and bad habits is the first step towards becoming safer drivers. Whenever I go out on the road for longer than 15 minutes, there’s a good chance I’ll come across a handful of distracted drivers. One or two of these drivers will often come close to getting in a crash with someone else. For most cases, it just takes one of the drivers to be paying attention and driving defensively to stop the outcome of an accident. However, there are instances where there’s nothing you can do even when you’re paying attention. Find a way to hold yourself and your loved ones accountable for their actions. Have the person riding shotgun hold the driver’s phone so they won’t be tempted to use it. Listen to podcasts instead of music so the volume isn’t blocking out other noises. Find your first step in breaking your bad driving habits and make that your normal driving routine. Do whatever works best for you and stick to it, it could save a life.