In The Driver's Seat

Two hulks of metal and machinery crash into each other, creating a cacophony of metallic noise. The smell of burnt rubber and leaked gasoline fills the air, leaving everyone to wonder; what exactly went wrong?

Motor vehicle accidents claim the lives of thousands, especially for newer drivers who are inexperienced to the rules of the road. Which is why it’s paramount that new drivers are familiar with the rules of the roads by having a tight grasp on drivers ed by taking driving classes in school or familiarizing themselves with the driver’s handbook. However, even with all the education a new driver can have, accidents on the road still happen and in my experience, phones were, as I called it, the bane of driving. Phones can provide many things, but on the road, they provide distractions. When I was hit by another car during my driver’s test, her excuse was that she was distracted by her phone and didn’t see my bright yellow car on the road. Thousands of dollars, medical treatment and a new car later, I still won’t touch my phone whenever I’m behind the wheel because I know even a moment away from the road can lead to dangerous, sometimes even fatal consequences. As new drivers, it can often be tempting to check a notification on a phone or text message, but those notifications and text messages will still be there whenever the car is safely parked and risking everything for one text just isn’t worth it. This is something that both new and experienced drivers need to understand in order to reduce the number of deaths related to driving because a fatal car accident can happen to anyone.

If more people were aware of the dangers of distracted driving, if more people were aware of the rules of the road, if more people were cognisant of what it means to be a vehicle capable of destruction, then perhaps we’ll live in a future where there are much less fatal car accidents. However, this is a conscious decision from a driver and it starts from accepting that a driver learns everyday day while they’re on the road. Which is what I practice every time I’m driving because I know that I’m not a perfect driver and that there will always be room for improvement and opportunities to learn and grow everyday. It’s also equally important to inform other drivers to not be distracted by their phones while they’re driving or take shortcuts because when there are lives on the line based on the choices we make, there are no shortcuts. No one wants to experience the heartbreak of tragedy over the loss of loved ones or be the one responsible. So in order to make the road a safer place, I implore every driver to put the phone down and see what lies ahead, because you never know what you’ll miss when your attention is away from what truly matters.