Distracted driving is such a dangerous and terrible thing that is so normalized in our society today. Almost every driver I know, myself included, will pull out their phone to check a text message, find music to play, or take their eyes off the road without a second thought. Simple careless things like this is what causes the end of many lives whether it was their fault or not. About six years ago, I was in town with my mom running errands as usual when we received a call the my aunt’s car was upside-down on the side of the road. I will never forget the feeling of total shock and utter fear as I felt my heart drop to my stomach. When we pulled up to the wreck I saw my family in the ditch, stricken with fear and still processing what had just happened. Thankfully, they all walked away with minor breaks and bruises, but it really makes me think about my own driving. At the time I was too young to drive, so I was more scared at the fact that my family could have died and never thought at all about how it would affect my own driving. Now that I have been driving for a few years, I definitely make careless mistakes that could lead to me getting in a wreck just like my aunt’s, and I don’t even think about it. I am guilty of looking down when my phone goes off to check a message, changing the music over and over in my old truck where I have to mess with a CD or change the radio a million times, or even just getting distracted by things happening around me driving down the road. Most of the time I forget about the wreck that happened what seems like so many years ago, but every time I remember it, I start to drive more carefully.
Just the same as everyone who drives, I have developed some bad habits as I have began to grow more comfortable behind a wheel. As I mentioned earlier, I will often check my phone, change the radio, or watch things happening on the side of the road as I drive. Everyone thinks “it will only take a second” or that you won’t have your eyes off of the road long enough for anything to happen. But that’s exactly the problem.. it only takes a second. It only takes a second to miss that car coming up, to not see the motorcycle next to you, to miss the sharp turn, and anything in between. Sometimes I find myself driving more recklessly around or with my friends, as most teenagers do. I want to have fun when they try to race next to me on the way home from hanging out, or laugh when I jokingly push my breaks quickly so they’ll jerk in the passengers seat when they aren’t paying attention. While I never mean any harm in these situations, they really can be dangerous, and even fatal actions.
In order to end these behaviors that distract me while driving, I have come up with a few concrete steps to ensure better safety for me, and my passengers. Firstly, I will put my phone away on silent to where I can reach it if I need help, but I won’t be distracted by it until I reach my destination. This will eliminate the temptation to check the screen every time I hear a notification. I will also pay more attention to the cars around me on the road, rather than watching what’s happening on the sides of the road, because even if I am driving safely, other cars around me may not be. By keeping my focus on the road and on other people around me, I will be able to further protect myself and others from being hurt by spotting dangerous cars around me that could cause a wreck. Lastly, I will be more careful and cautious when around my friends by skipping out on a challenged race, not pulling any tricks, and being extra careful while carrying others in my car. I would much rather joke around while not behind the wheel, so that nobody is ever hurt on my account.
After writing this essay, I will be diligent in practicing my new solutions after evaluating the danger of the careless actions I make while driving, in order to make the road safer for both myself and the people around me.