As times have progressed and technology has advanced, there have been
many innovations made within the world or automobile ownership as
well. Where we once were unable to contact drivers mid-travel and did
not have as many distractions available from within the car, the
rates of deaths as a result of driving were much lower. It is my
sincere belief that having courses and requirements aimed at ensuring
that drivers on the road are aware of how to respond to road
emergencies and understand the consequences that can happen as a
result of split attention while driving. This is important because,
as reported by the NHTSA in 2016, distraction accounted for over 3400
deaths that year. This is a statistic that hits home to me on a
personal level as well. In July of 2017, my uncle was killed by a
distracted driver while riding his motorcycle. A younger driver took
a turn without looking and caused my uncle to drive into the side of
the car. Because of this, my uncle’s life was cut short by a
complete avoidable accident. There are steps that can be taken to
reduce the number of deaths related to driving including using the
driving mode function that is available on most newer phones. It
allows you to still use things like navigation while keeping calls,
texts, and other notifications from coming through. Something else
that can be done to reduce the amount of driving deaths to make sure
that drivers aren’t driving under the influence. This can be done
by raising consequences for drunk driving and encouraging motorists
to make plans for if they will be drinking. For me personally, I know
that some things that I can do to become a safer driver is to remain
up to date on all road laws and know posted speed limits. I can also
continue to ensure that I look before proceeding with changes in
traffic patterns. But the biggest thing that I can continue to do to
remain a safe driver is to hold all texting and calling until the end
of my trip. It is my hope that making and encouraging these small
changes can be enough for someone else to make it home to their
families.