Unfortunately, distracted and unsafe driving affects everyone whether they realize it or not. It is imperative that we address these issues as a community; spreading awareness, sharing prevention plans, and educating ourselves on the importance of safe driving. According to the Bureau of Transportation statistics, about 42,000 people were killed in car accidents in the U.S in the year 2022. Distracted driving contributes to roughly 10% of fatal car accidents per year. In my experience, I’ve seen at least two car accidents a week; this is far too many. I believe the normalcy of driving everyday creates a false sense of security and folks begin to get comfortable with bending the rules. With the new generation of drivers, the risk of distracted driving is potentially higher due to the increase in smartphone usage. With more and more people on the road, the risks continue to grow.
I’ve witnessed horrific accidents that continue to remind me how important it is to be alert while driving. The vulnerability I feel on the road leaves me fearful whenever I drive and I know this to be a direct effect of my experience with distracted, unsafe drivers. I have a friend who is on the road most of his day for work and is unfortunately talking on the phone for most of it. I attempt to express my thoughts about how unsafe it is, sharing the number of deaths caused by car accidents, but am met with responses like, “but it’s my job, I have to answer the phone”. I often wonder if this is the situation for many of us in the U.S. The idea that we need to constantly be available to reach at any point in the day has become the standard; it’s expected. This creates an environment that makes it almost impossible to put your phone down at all.
In order to change the way we are driving, and to limit the fatalities related to car accidents, we need to reach as many drivers as we can. Spreading awareness needs to start with parents, teachers, and mentors, this is the path to educating new drivers on the risks of distracted driving. Technology has been a useful tool to connect others and is a perfect opportunity to get people’s attention. Videos on social media are constantly being consumed by the younger generation and is therefore one of the best ways to connect with this audience. Some of this content could be sharing “life hacks” for safe driving such as storing your phone in the glove box, therefore taking out the temptation of texting and driving. What I have begun to do is set up my music, turn my phone on “do not disturb”, and place my phone in my purse. This helps me to remove all impulses of using my phone and allows me to focus solely on the road. Ideas like these could be shared in a quick video and shared around the internet. If we can reach individuals who are willing to listen, chances are, it will help someone.
The younger generation aren’t the only people who should be informed about distracted or unsafe driving. Working with kids, I can tell you that children learn so much from what their parents model to them, even if they don’t realize it. Say a parent is texting or talking on the phone, the child will probably learn it’s okay to do that. Workshops on distracted driving would be incredibly useful in a school setting in order to prevent teens from learning these bad habits before they begin. I also believe that these talks should be held in workplace settings. Folks who have been driving for years just don’t get enough refresher courses on driving safely and we desperately need to change this. I know that many adults have not adjusted to smartphones and may not be as vulnerable to the effects of consistent phone usage, but I grew up with a mom who was always talking on the phone while driving and I was unaware of how dangerous that can be. I believe that sharing statistics, personal stories, and preventative ideas with our loved ones, through social media, and in workplace and school settings is our way forward to spreading the importance of safe driving. I hope that together we can continue to make changes for the better and create a driving environment that is safe for everyone. Thank you for your consideration and this wonderful opportunity.
I’ve witnessed horrific accidents that continue to remind me how important it is to be alert while driving. The vulnerability I feel on the road leaves me fearful whenever I drive and I know this to be a direct effect of my experience with distracted, unsafe drivers. I have a friend who is on the road most of his day for work and is unfortunately talking on the phone for most of it. I attempt to express my thoughts about how unsafe it is, sharing the number of deaths caused by car accidents, but am met with responses like, “but it’s my job, I have to answer the phone”. I often wonder if this is the situation for many of us in the U.S. The idea that we need to constantly be available to reach at any point in the day has become the standard; it’s expected. This creates an environment that makes it almost impossible to put your phone down at all.
In order to change the way we are driving, and to limit the fatalities related to car accidents, we need to reach as many drivers as we can. Spreading awareness needs to start with parents, teachers, and mentors, this is the path to educating new drivers on the risks of distracted driving. Technology has been a useful tool to connect others and is a perfect opportunity to get people’s attention. Videos on social media are constantly being consumed by the younger generation and is therefore one of the best ways to connect with this audience. Some of this content could be sharing “life hacks” for safe driving such as storing your phone in the glove box, therefore taking out the temptation of texting and driving. What I have begun to do is set up my music, turn my phone on “do not disturb”, and place my phone in my purse. This helps me to remove all impulses of using my phone and allows me to focus solely on the road. Ideas like these could be shared in a quick video and shared around the internet. If we can reach individuals who are willing to listen, chances are, it will help someone.
The younger generation aren’t the only people who should be informed about distracted or unsafe driving. Working with kids, I can tell you that children learn so much from what their parents model to them, even if they don’t realize it. Say a parent is texting or talking on the phone, the child will probably learn it’s okay to do that. Workshops on distracted driving would be incredibly useful in a school setting in order to prevent teens from learning these bad habits before they begin. I also believe that these talks should be held in workplace settings. Folks who have been driving for years just don’t get enough refresher courses on driving safely and we desperately need to change this. I know that many adults have not adjusted to smartphones and may not be as vulnerable to the effects of consistent phone usage, but I grew up with a mom who was always talking on the phone while driving and I was unaware of how dangerous that can be. I believe that sharing statistics, personal stories, and preventative ideas with our loved ones, through social media, and in workplace and school settings is our way forward to spreading the importance of safe driving. I hope that together we can continue to make changes for the better and create a driving environment that is safe for everyone. Thank you for your consideration and this wonderful opportunity.
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