Texting while driving is fatal. This concept has been drilled into our heads even before we first entered the roads. I would never be so negligent. I would never take the innocent life of another individual. These thoughts race through my mind as I check my navigation screen to ensure that I am making the right turn. I don’t like this route, so I quickly recalculate it. Nothing could possibly happen in the few seconds that my eyes abandon the road. Satisfied with the current route, I sing my heart out to the newly released Luke Combs song, unaware of my surroundings and the sounds in the distance. It’s hard to believe that individuals actually text and drive; people can be so irresponsible.
I am well acquainted with this erroneous state of mind which reasons that texting while driving is the only fatal form of distracted driving. I have experienced it firsthand on countless occasions. Yet, when I was younger, I would have never dared to take my eyes off of the road. I would have never gambled with my life. However, something must have changed within the years to allow me to reach this current point of comfort in which I reason that nothing will happen.
Although I have listened to the lectures of my parents when my older siblings first attained their licenses and again when I finally earned mine, I have still engaged in these reckless behaviors. Perhaps I have become numb to these dangers because I have been so fortunate in the past. Too frequently, I forget, or simply overlook, the fact that texting behind the wheel is not the only form of distracted driving. Various other habits cause motorists to take their focus off of the road, increasing the dangers in these situations. Therefore, if I had the opportunity to speak to my younger self, I would ensure that these dangers never resulted from my carelessness.
It becomes paramount to terminate this distracted driving altogether as it is worsening, rather than improving. In the period between 2009 and 2013 alone, Illinois was home to more than 6,000 accidents in which the driver was handling a cell phone when the accident occurred (https://www.sgklawyers.com/blog/2018/06/car-accidents-fatality.shtml). Thus, even if the driver’s attention is diverted for only a few seconds, this is long enough to change a life forever. Although many young individuals maintain this mindset that nothing serious can happen this quickly, they fail to realize that death is indiscriminate. I would inform my younger self that death can happen to any of us at any time; we are not invulnerable.
In my younger years, I remember watching my uncle struggle with alcohol abuse. His speech would become slurred and his love quickly turned to hatred. Oftentimes, he would stumble through the front door late at night, unable to find his balance. My pity for my uncle at this point in my life exemplified my true naivety. I failed to realize that he was not only endangering himself, but the lives of countless others as soon as the liquor hit his lips. By allowing this substance to take control of his body, he gambled with his future each and every time he consciously allowed that key to turn the ignition. He made the choice to be irresponsible and reckless, unconcerned with the rest of the world. Thus, I would ensure that my younger self understood the risks associated with drunken driving. When individuals drive while intoxicated, they jeopardize much more than their own lives.
Moreover, I would convince myself to spend that quality time with my father that he so desperately yearned for. This was the time that he desired before my friends took this time away from him and my shifts at work replaced our weekend outings. In this time, I would discover that he had valuable lessons to teach, such as learning to change a tire and being aware of the pressure within them. In these moments, I would have learned that it is essential not to speed in the summer months when the weather becomes scorching (https://www.sgklawyers.com/blog/2018/07/tire-blowouts.shtml). This quality time together would not only have translated to a greater bonding experience between the two of us, but I would be able to travel more cautiously and confidently.
Likewise, I would convey the significance of keeping your eyes on the road at all times because death has no time limit. In fact, it happens faster than I may have previously believed. Formerly, I believed that focusing on my navigation system was equivalent to focusing on the road. However, it becomes obvious that these systems can often lead you to take illegal actions, such as turning when it is not possible. Yet, when the driver consciously chooses to follow these directions, even if they are illegal, the driver is at fault and can be penalized (https://www.sgklawyers.com/blog/2018/05/faulty-gps-system.shtml). Therefore, it now becomes more important to concentrate on the road and to be aware of my surroundings. I must be able to perceive the signs on the road as well as any barriers.
Ultimately, I would ensure that my younger self understood that when I enter the car and begin my journey on the road, I must understand that I have my own life as well as the lives of innumerable others in my hands. The fate of a single missed stop sign or red light can prove to be dire. I must be vigilant and focused. Ultimately, these steps may not be monumental, but they may save a single life, and that is more than I could ever hope for.
Still, it is essential to note that I am not reminding my younger self of these actions for me. Rather, I am doing it for the individuals in this world who deserve so much more. I am taking these steps because the mother who struggled to conceive her miracle baby deserves to watch her family flourish. The teenage girl deserves a mother who will help her through her first heartbreak and show the unconditional love that only a mother can surrender. The father who just won his battle with cancer deserves to watch his child graduate from high school.My parents deserve to witness the success that I will embody one day, the success that they have sacrificed so much for. My future occupational therapy clients deserve the opportunity to define themselves by their accomplishments and not by their limitations. Thus, I would tell my younger self that these distractions which arise while driving can wait, but the certainty of tomorrow cannot.
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