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It’s Not an Accident

Name: Madeline Wilbur
From: College Park, Maryland
Votes: 0


It’s
highly unfortunate that so many car accidents occur all the time,
especially when there are easy ways to drive safely. My best friend
was in a car accident when she was younger where her car flipped, and
10 years later she still has panic attacks when someone drives
irresponsibly or just barely avoids getting into an accident. This is
one of the many reasons that it angers me when I see people driving
irresponsibly. I think it is important to educate drivers about
safety because many people overestimate their ability to multitask,
such as using their phone in the car, but neuroscientific research
has proven that when one multitasks, they are not paying full
attention to either subject, which can have extremely dangerous
consequences when one is driving while distracted. Additionally,
looking away from the road for even a few seconds could be dangerous
because of the speeds at which cars move, especially on the highway.
To reduce the number of accidents, especially fatal ones, that occur
on the road, we need to hold each other accountable. For instance, I
turn my phone face-down in the car so that I am not tempted to check
any notifications I may receive, and if I am in the car with someone
else I have them check my phone or answer calls. I also hold my
parents responsible when they text and drive, which, no pun intended,
drives them crazy. I turn off their phones or cover the screen with
my hand, and then I ask them what is more important: the text message
they are sending or their daughter in the car with them? These so
called car “accidents” are not actually accidents at all, because
they can be avoided and every person who drives irresponsibly must be
aware that their actions can have dire consequences. By employing
certain strategies and by holding each other accountable, we can help
each other be safer on the roads and decrease the amount of deaths
related to distracted driving.