According to studies, texting and driving is against the law in 48 states and makes you 23 times more likely to be involved in an automobile accident. Like most teenagers, I’d be lying if I said I never allow myself to be distracted while driving. It is important to note that those distractions will never be as important as the safety of myself and other drivers. Most people think it can’t happen to them, but it can. In fact, vehicular accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States according to the Center for Disease Control. We are so lucky that this is something that is so easily preventable. All we have to do is step up and take action.
The distracted driving habits that I am most guilty of include more than just the obvious things like sending a quick text at a stoplight. Sometimes, I will suddenly remember that I am out of mayonnaise and I need to immediately add it to my grocery list before I forget again. Eating while driving is also something I am guilty of. It leads to driving with one hand, and sometimes no hands–just a knee. Also, I always go back and forth between being too hot and too cold while driving, so another common distraction is messing with my temperature controls. I often make phone calls while I’m connected to my car’s audio system via Bluetooth. Even though this allows me to still have my eyes and both hands on the steering wheel, this is a distraction of the mind. I also find myself taking my eyes off the road for extended periods of time because I am tired of the music I’m listening to and I’m in search of the perfect playlist or the perfect song. Due to the technology in cars these days, most of these distractions don’t even involve me touching my cell phone. It is a common misconception that this is safer–but it is not. My hands, eyes, and mind are still being taken away from the road and my attention is given to the screen and controls in my car.
As one can see, I do not have the safest driving habits. I am ashamed to admit this, but admitting the problem is the first step to resolving it. I need to make some necessary changes to my driving routine. Before I start driving, I need to set my temperature controls to my preference, pick out which music I would like to listen to, make any phone calls, and turn my phone on “do not disturb.” These concrete changes will allow me to be more concentrated on driving and will significantly decrease my chances of getting in an accident. I am committed to being a safer driver. I owe it to myself, my family, and the other drivers to make these changes. My family deserves to know that I am safe and other drivers and families on the roadway deserve to be safe from accidents.
It is not only important to educate about the dangers of driving while distracted, but also general driving safety. For example, people who grew up in California trying to drive in a South Dakota winter would be very uninformed as to how to drive in winter conditions. I feel that classes should be offered for these reasons. Driving in the rain is one of the leading causes of automobile accidents simply because people underestimate the danger of it. In addition, some states allow teenagers to obtain a driver's license at just 14 years old. A lot of kids don’t even know how to do the laundry at this age and I feel we need to do a better job making sure America’s youngest drivers are educated enough to be deemed safe on the roads. This is important for not only their safety, but others on the road as well.
In conclusion, driving while distracted is extremely dangerous to myself and others–and I am guilty of it. It is the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. The most common things that distract me while I’m driving are my music, my cell phone, and the temperature controls. There are necessary changes that I need to make to my driving habits because I would never forgive myself for getting into an accident that could have been prevented. I am determined to make these changes and keep myself and others safe. No distraction is more important than the safety of myself and other drivers. Additionally, I feel that we could be better about educating drivers, especially young teens, about driving in difficult weather conditions. We owe it to ourselves, our family, and other people on the roadway to make these changes.