Being in a car accident can be terrifying, even if it isn’t a big one. I’ve seen many car crashes in my life. Even when driving to school once, I remember seeing a flipped-over car in the middle of the road, glass everywhere. It was one of those moments that makes you realize just how unpredictable the roads can be, and how quickly something can go wrong. Accidents are often the result of distractions or split-second decisions that lack communication with other drivers. It’s easy to forget how quickly things can escalate while driving, but even one car crash could ruin someone’s life.
It’s no surprise that smartphones have become a massive distraction for many drivers, especially new drivers who are more likely to be distracted by notifications. While I do my best to keep my phone on silent so I won’t get any notifications that might distract me, not everyone follows the same habit. In fact, when I was around 10 years old, my family and I were involved in an accident caused by someone who was distracted on their phone on the highway. We were planning on going to the beach that day, our car packed with all the essentials: bathing suits, floaties, snacks, and everything else we would end up needing. I remember the car in front of us stopped abruptly, causing my mom, who was driving, to stop quickly as well. I recall my mom screaming soon after, and everyone, already in shock, turned to look through the back window. Next thing you knew, a car crashed into us from behind. The force of the impact made the front of the car that hit us go slightly under ours, pushing the trunk of our car up. It felt sort of like a rollercoaster. The driver behind us, who definitely had enough time to stop, was on their phone. It was obvious that she wasn’t paying attention to the road ahead. The crash caused minor injuries to everyone involved, but luckily, everyone was otherwise okay. We didn’t go to the beach that day, our plans were ruined in an instant.
Since that day, I’ve thought a lot about what could be done to lessen the number of accidents on the road. Of course, education is one of the most impactful aspects in reducing danger. There are so many rules that people might not know until they’re already in that situation. For example, people may not know exactly what to do if they lose control of their car in certain weather conditions unless they’ve already experienced it. If someone just threw me into the driver’s seat and expected me to drive before I knew any of the rules, sure, I might figure out how to manage under normal circumstances, but I wouldn’t know what to do in a life-threatening situation. Drivers need to be taught how to deal with these events because knowledge can make the difference between life and death.
In addition to education, I came up with the idea of having a setting on phones for when the person is driving. Sure, the “Do Not Disturb” feature already exists, but adding a setting specifically for driving could definitely be popularized and enforced in driving schools, making it a habit for new drivers who are more likely to be distracted. If phones could block incoming messages, calls, and notifications when they detect a car is in motion, that would likely reduce the temptation to check the screen, allowing drivers to focus completely on the road. While this wouldn’t eliminate all distractions, it could reduce many of them.
As I drive, I’ve been trying to form good habits, like keeping my phone on silent and out of sight, and keeping tabs on the weather so that I’m prepared. When I was new to driving, my instructor would always tell me that if I was feeling unwell, distracted, or in any condition that could affect my driving, I should opt for an Uber or call a friend to pick me up. This was a reminder that it’s okay to admit when you shouldn’t drive, whether it’s because you’re too tired, too stressed, or just not feeling 100%.
Driving will always have its dangers, but driving responsibly and picking up good habits can lessen those dangers. There will always be risks when on the road, but they can certainly be reduced. By staying alert on the road, resisting distractions, and taking responsibility for our actions behind the wheel, we can make the roads safer, not just for ourselves, but for everyone else. We can’t predict when an accident will happen, but we can prepare and control our decisions when in that situation.