Everyone
says, “Oh, that will never happen to me.” We live our lives
oblivious to the consequences that our actions may bring.
It
all happened two years ago on Mother’s Day. My brother, dad, and I
had gone to drop off my brother at college. As we drove across the
intersection, I saw it coming. A car was pummeling towards us. It all
happened so quick. I blacked out and woke up with smoke building
around me. My dad was frozen at the wheel, bruised and burned. My
brother sat in the back, his knees throbbing in pain. In a matter of
seconds, I almost lost half of my family. In a matter of seconds, one
text changed everything.

If
it all had happened differently, I wouldn’t be here today. If it
all had happened differently, I would have never seen my mom again. I
wouldn’t have met my best friends. I wouldn’t have felt the joy
from receiving my first paycheck. I wouldn’t have had to learn to
not fear riding in a car. I wouldn’t have grown into the person I
am today.
30,000+
people lose their lives in crashes each year. Every year we get
closer to becoming just another number in a mass of statistics. Is
our life not worth more?  We pretend that our actions are out of
our control, but this could not be further from the truth.
The
first step that everyone, including myself, can take to reduce the
number of auto collisions is to educate people about the power of
technology. Technology can easily become a distraction that we
prioritize over our safety. We should teach people how damaging a
quick glance at our screens can be on the future. At least 1 in 4 of
all car collisions involve phone use. Something that could be
prevented has established itself as a leading cause of death. It is
important to ensure that people know how to resist the urge, that the
sound of a notification won’t let them lose their control and
focus.

Furthermore,
there are many other distractions that remain unacknowledged, but
they are just as important. People use their cars as cosmetic studios
or even kitchens. We tend to ignore these things and undermine how
dangerous they are. The distraction that comes with putting on makeup
or taking your hands off the wheel to grab those fries from the bag
in your passenger seat is all it takes to misjudge a situation and
lead to a horrible outcome. Wake up earlier. Make sure to eat and get
ready BEFORE you enter the car. A couple lost minutes of sleep is
much better than losing a life.

In
a matter of seconds, the thought, the possibility, of tomorrow can
vanish as quickly as it came. It
only takes a few seconds to drastically change your life. We all have
a life worth living, so don’t let a distraction take that away. Put
it away and live another day.