“Put your phone down!” I have to say this all the time, especially in vehicles. My own father, friends, and random strangers driving past my car are all distracted by the three by six inch devices no one can seem to dismiss. Whether answering a text, checking an email, or scrolling aimlessly through social media, by being on a phone while driving, the task becomes dangerous and deadly. No distraction is worth the pain and suffering caused by driving accidents, and action must be taken to make driving safer. In order to reduce accidents and deaths, three I’s are necessary: instruction, influence, and improvement.
First of all, there is significance in the education or instruction of drivers. If people are aware of the dangers of distracted driving, they may be less likely to partake. This could come in schools, signs on highways, social media posts, or driver education programs. What is important is that people are receiving education on the risks of distracted driving. One driver that decides to not pick up their phone because of the instruction they have received could save a number of lives in a possible accident. This education does not necessarily need to happen on a large scale. Parents educating their children, or teenagers educating their friends can make enough of a difference to save a life. For example, anytime I catch someone I know personally on their phone whilst driving, I make a point to question their decision. By starting this conversation, the driver calls the behavior into question and could possibly change said behavior. This conversation or initial comment does not need to be accusatory, inflammatory, or condescending, it simply needs to make the driver aware of the danger behind their action. Anyone and everyone can improve the safety of driving by providing or receiving valuable instruction on the dangers of distracted driving.
Additionally, a person’s actions have significant influence on the actions of their peers. By practicing and promoting safe driving, a person can influence the actions of their children, parents, or friends at no cost. Safe driving, like any habit, can be contagious and spread across families, to communities, and ultimately to the world. This is a simple step that can be taken to reduce the amount of deaths related to driving. Personally, everytime that I am in a car, I make sure to never check my phone. Numerous times I have been asked about this, with questions like, “Are you gonna look at that?” or, “Don’t you wanna know what they said?” I always answer with the fact that no text is more valuable than my life, or theirs. I believe that some people I have interacted with in vehicles pick up on this habit of mine and start to question their own driving habits. When safe driving is in the front of someone’s mind, they are much more likely to practice it, emphasizing the importance of good influences to driving.
Finally, along with this instruction and influence on safe driving, overall driving practices should be improved. No phones or devices should EVER be accessed while driving. No text, email, or post is more important than one’s life and the lives of other drivers. Furthermore, drivers should be sure to focus more on the road than their passengers. If a passenger is having a problem or causing a distraction, it is necessary for the driver to pull over or off of the road if they are able. While this may cause a delay in their travel time, it could also save a life. Another step that can be taken by drivers is never getting behind the wheel if they cannot safely drive the vehicle. If the state of the vehicle or the state of the driver is not going to allow safe travel, the driver should never start driving. Examples of unsafe states include bad brakes or engines in a vehicle or an impaired or emotional driver. Clearly, improved and safer driving can come from peer’s influence and instruction, therefore making the road a safer place to be.
All in all, people die from car crashes, and some of these deaths are avoidable. Distracted driving dramatically increases the risk of a potentially fatal crash. Especially with the increased and widespread use of technology today, people need to be aware of how dangerous their use of phones and similar devices can be. This can be done on a large level, like curriculum implementation in schools, or on smaller levels, like a suggestion to a friend. In summary, the roads and world would be a safer place if there was more instruction on, influence over, and improved driving practices overall.