The dangers of distracted driving

I’ve seen the consequences of distracted driving firsthand. I met a man who had tears in his eyes as he spoke about how his teenage daughter got badly injured in a motor vehicle accident a few weeks before. The accident was caused by a distracted driver using his cell phone to find directions. While volunteering at my parents’ clinic, I was saddened to see the injuries his daughter suffered from the accident. It led me to do some research. I was surprised to learn the numbers.

According to the CDC, over 3,000 Americans die each year due to distracted drivers. In a 2013 study, taking eyes off the road even for two seconds was shown to cause an eightfold risk of a crash. Distracted driving is the cause of more than 58 percent of crashes involving teen drivers, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The unofficial fatality and injury numbers are likely much higher. All these accidents are preventable.

I felt drawn to this cause and researched what we can do to help lower these numbers. Distraction while driving can come from many sources, the most common being mobile phones, but also eating or drinking while driving, talking to passengers, looking at billboards, using a GPS, dealing with children or pets, adjusting the stereo, applying makeup/grooming, or daydreaming.

Educating drivers and spreading awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and ways to reduce distractions is most important. Here are some ways the younger generation can contribute:

• Reminding drivers to turn off mobile devices and put them out of reach before they begin driving.

• As a passenger, offering to make the call, send the text, select the music, or help with navigation.

• Talking about the issue with friends and schoolmates to raise awareness.

• Writing to local governing bodies to create laws prohibiting texting or using phones whilst driving.

• Placing yard signs and holding community talks about the importance of non-distracted driving.

If we all pledge to follow these recommendations, hopefully we can prevent incidents like this one.

Want to be a Buzz Kid? Email approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and caption to [email protected]. Or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, Texas 77401.