Student Reflections & Projects e Ryan M. Schroeder
D
efining Distracted Driving, My Personal Definition Distracted driving is any activity that takes the driver’s attention away from the primary task of operating a motor vehicle safely, which increases the likelihood of an accident (CDC, 2019). These distractions come in four basic areas, which are visual, auditory, manual, and cognitive (Feldman, 2019). A visual distraction would be a driver looking at something other than the road, like the radio, navigation display, a passenger riding along, etc. An auditory distraction would be a sound that takes the driver’s attention away from the road, like the radio playing or a sound outside the vehicle. A manual distraction would be operating something within the vehicle that takes the driver’s eyes off the road. Finally, a cognitive distraction would be the driver focusing his or her thoughts on something other than driving. Statistically, the most dangerous form of distracted driving is texting, which was the focus of our discussions and readings this semester in class (Currin, 2019). The reason texting is so deadly is because it encompasses three areas of distracted driving. It requires the driver to be visually, manually, and cognitively engaged making a trio of distractions that take the driver’s attention off the road and his or her surroundings. Statistics indicate that almost 30% of distracted driving accidents can be attributed to cell phone use, with 10% of fatal accidents being attributed to distracted driving in some form (CDC, 2019). Although distracted driving incidents are underreported, there were nearly 4,000 people killed and another 400,000 injured in these type of vehicle accidents in 2015 (Feldman, 2019). Most shocking is that teen drivers are nearly three times more likely to be involved in a distracted driving accident, so it is a real issue that should be taken seriously by all drivers (CDC, 2019). The Impact of First Year Seminar The impact of first year seminar has been significant. There is a lot of information circulating about the potential ramifications of driving while texting, but even with all the research available it really does not hit home until it becomes more personal. That piece came into sharper focus with Reggie Shaw’s visit to our seminar class this semester. What Shaw did was to put a face on what many teens would look at as just information or numbers on a page. There is in some way an invincibility in the teen mind that says those things happen, but they do not happen to a person like me. I am a better driver than most. I can multi-task better than most. I am really careful when I use my phone at stoplights, in lighter traffic, etc. The reality is—and the point that Shaw brought home—is there is no safe time to be using your phone or texting when you are operating a motor vehicle. There are just too many people out there not paying attention and this means you have to drive for yourself and everyone else as well. There is simply too much going on when you are driving a car, sometimes at higher speeds, that weighs 2000+ pounds, for a person to be focused on anything other than the road in front of them. Shaw, in a way, represents me, meaning what happened to him could happen to anyone. He did not do anything malicious, did not intend to hurt anyone, but is living each day knowing the poor choice he made took the lives of two people. That has impacted him, but more significantly the families of those that were killed. Shaw goes to sleep each night with that weight on his shoulders, while the families he impacted will never see their loved ones again. Another significant lesson learned this semester is that distracted driving does not just mean no cell phone use while driving a car. Operating a motor vehicle comes with a lot of responsibility and that means it requires 100% focus to do it well. All of the conveniences in the modern car, some designed to keep us safer, actually serve as a distraction that is almost as bad as driving impaired. All of us have reached down to the floor to retrieve a dropped item, gotten something out of the glovebox, adjusted the volume on our favorite tunes, or messed with the climate control while driving. These are every bit as dangerous as texting and driving, and these potentially come with the same consequences that Shaw experienced (Currin, 2019). A brief second of eyes off the road has the potential to alter a number of lives irreversibly, and always in a negative way. Personally, I could not live with the thought that I hurt someone else, especially when it was completely preventable. My thought is the climate control, radio, that dropped item on the floor have a lot less importance to me now than they did at the outset of first year seminar. It reminds me that the choices we make always have consequences, positive or negative, and those should be weighed heavily in all things we do, especially when getting into a vehicle. Eliminating Distracted Driving All of the readings, research, and discussions in class have created a focus on potential solutions to reduce the possibility of an accident. First, there is a definite need for continuing education for young drivers. As much as this issue has impacted society, there is really no structure in place—aside from basic information associated with driver’s education courses—that create greater awareness on this issue.
It could certainly be taught as part of the regular high school health curriculum as it pertains to personal and community safety. Second, cell phones should clearly be utilized for emergencies only, and teens not able to take this responsibility seriously should likely not have a cell phone in their vehicle. An emergency means one that has the driver safely pulled off the road, emergency flashers on, and calling to get help. A driver could silence his/her phone and put it in the glovebox for safe keeping as a way to prevent possible distraction. Third, drivers can definitely limit the number of passengers in the car. Everyone likes traveling with friends to do things together, but statistics show the greater the number of passengers, the more likely there is to be an accident. It is simply not possible to pay attention to the road as well as all the distractions that happen during the course of conversations. If passengers are in the car, there should definitely be an understanding that the most important thing at hand is keeping everyone in the vehicle safe. Finally, we all have busy lives, but multi-tasking in the vehicle is something that should be avoided. This means no adjusting controls, using touch screens, eating, etc. All of these things serve as catalysts that divide a person’s focus and can lead to an accident. When peoples’ lives are in the balance, those things that seem to be so important should be taking a back seat to personal and community safety. Summary Distracted driving is anything that takes the attention of the driver away from the road, thus increasing the likelihood of an accident that can lead to serious injuries or death. There are four types of distracted driving that include visual, auditory, manual, and cognitive impairments. These include added passengers, climate controls, loud music, and cell phone use to name just a few. Many times, the very features built into modern cars, to keep us safer, are distractions as well. This has been one of the most important “take-aways” from first year seminar. It was not necessarily a realization that a distracted driving problem exists, but that it can impact me directly unless I make changes to my own driving habits. The critical swing point in my mind was having Shaw speak to the class. He put a face to the issue and made it more personal. As with myself, Shaw is a typical person that cares for his family, has dreams and aspirations like the rest of us. He is not a hardened criminal, or malicious, just simply a person that made a really serious mistake that could happen to any one of us unless we take driving seriously. Shaw helped me realize the types of things that I do each day in the car, aside from limiting cell phone use, also have to potential to harm myself or others. It can be reaching for that item on the floor or adjusting the radio that is all it takes to shatter a life. In response, people should be committed to cell phone use in emergencies only after they have safely left the road, reduce multi-tasking when driving, as well as the number of passengers within the vehicle. All of these things reduce the possibility of a distracted driving incident. On a larger scale, there needs to be a greater commitment to educating youth on the potential impact they can have on others, like the one Shaw made. In my mind, making it more personal is the key, rather than just providing a quick lesson or literature on the topic. It needs to be part of every high school’s mandatory curriculum whether a student takes driver’s education or not. Works Cited CDC. “Distracted Driving.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Sept. 2019, www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index.html. Currin, Andrew. “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” NHTSA, NHTSA, 8 May 2019, www. nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving. Feldman, Joe. “Learn the Facts About Distracted Driving.” EndDD, End Distracted Driving, 2019, www.enddd.org/the-facts-about-distracted-driving/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_6PznfPK5QIVwp6zCh3C8goYEAAYASAAEgLsUPD_ BwE.
Major: Computer Science Hometown: Kansas City, Mo.
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