Holding onto the edge of my seat, I held my breath as my cousin once again merged into oncoming traffic: one of his hands on the wheel, and the other scrolling through his phone. Without even glancing at his mirrors, I watched as he executed a flawless lane change, all while replying to a friend on Snapchat. Then, as if doing magic in the eyes of a younger version of myself, he switched to Amazon Music, changed the song playing on the radio, and only then looked up to exit the freeway.
When I was younger, I swore I would be just like my older cousin: capable of multitasking and driving while also occupied. I found it impressive that while my parents always had both eyes on the road, my cousin did multiple activities at the same time. I can recall in vivid memory how he would be constantly changing radio stations while cruising along the country roads, laughing with me as George Strait or a pop song neither of us recalled played.
As I have gotten older, the rose-colored glasses of childhood have faded, as I slowly realize the ramifications of my cousin’s choices. It was never ‘cool’ or ‘fun’ or even ‘impressive’ to do what he did. Now, the older me knows to define his actions as reckless, selfish, and wrong. Instead of putting his phone away and focusing on the daunting task of driving, he instead placed his life and my life in the hands of a Snapchat filter. He felt that his selfish desire to message a friend was worth the possibility of life-threatening injuries. I do not know if it is better or worse that to this day he has not gotten in a wreck: as he instead continues to drive recklessly with no consequence.
Driver’s education is imperative to reduce the number of deaths, as most drivers are not as lucky as my cousin. Most of the lives taken on the road are by reckless drivers, many of whom are new to driving and choose to be on their phones. Although repeated constantly, it continues to ring true that one second looking away from the road can serve someone their death sentence. Not stopping at red lights, choosing to text while merging, or even a glance at a map can go from one second of distraction to a lifetime of guilt. Or worse, someone not having a ‘lifetime’ at all.
Sadly, many will never understand the necessity for driver’s education until something happens to themselves or someone close to them. For my cousin, this was indefinitely the case, as it was only after one of his close friends lost their lives to reckless driving did he finally put his phone away. For it is one thing to hear it and another to experience the loss resulting from inhumane driving head-on. Hence, to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, more victims and survivors must speak out against reckless driving. For young drivers, having fellow teenagers whose choices have caused the death of friends speak on reckless driving will serve as a wake-up call to change their decisions. Similarly, encouraging teenagers that they will have the option to use their phone another time will encourage safer driving, as they are not attempting to multitask.
Honestly, I have come to find that the main reason teens text and drive is the lack of stimulation given to them behind the wheel. In a world that is obsessed with fast dopamine fixes and constant stimulation, to sit behind the wheel for a long period is difficult to near impossible for many. Because of this, the main step towards encouraging safer driving is to change the culture of our society and encourage time away from constant texting and social media. While driver awareness campaigns, first-person accounts of unsafe driving, and courses about managing your car are all necessary preventative measures, only by changing our society, in the long run, will true safe roads be accomplished.
Until then, I will continue to uphold several rules when I am on the road. These include not driving past dark if I can help it, always putting my phone away when behind the wheel, and listening to music at a minimum level. Likewise, taking time to look at your phone and get organized before driving is always helpful as you feel more at peace before you begin driving. I encourage both new and old drivers to take it slow on the road, and before checking your map or an app, to pull over if you have the option. There are an infinite number of minutes in your day to get where you want to go, but only one of you. To compromise yourself or someone else just for the sake of liking an Instagram post is not worth it.
Never again will I be a young girl sitting in my cousin’s car, staring in awe at his multitasking, dopamine-addicted driving. Instead, I am now the one in the driver’s seat, with my phone firmly away and my safe driving the only addiction I need. I continue to have hope that someday, through initiatives and programs such as Driving and Traffic School, the number of deaths on the road can be reduced, and our lives can be trusted in the hands of all drivers.