Distracted Driving

Have you ever been on the road and almost got into a wreck? Majority of the time these accidents are caused by negligent drivers. These individuals tend to ignore the rules of the road, and operate their motor vehicles while on their mobile devices which results in 1 out of every 4 accidents. Is a text message, or the next level of Candy Crush more important than your well-being, and the welfare of others.

In many cases accidents are caused by distracted drivers. As the National Safety Council has reported, phone usage on the road can lead to 1.6 million or more accidents a year. This leads to a total of 390,000 or more injuries and deaths a year. This is a fairly large number and the problem needs to be dealt with.

Due to these shocking statistics on distracted driving, a law or regulations must be put into place to prevent these tragedies. For instance, the government could implement having fining to any individuals caught with their mobile devices in hand. However, in most cases this won't stop an individual from doing what they want. So what I propose is a two strike law. This would implement at first heavy fining. However if the individual continues to cause problems, it may result in the permanent suspension of their license. The question now is; What happens to the individuals who cause deaths do to their negligence? Simple, They will be fined and imprisoned for vehicular manslaughter.

You may be wondering why my views on this subject are so harsh? It is quite simple; I have been in an accident due to distracted drivers. When I was young riding around with my mother, a distracted driver rear-ended us, taking off the bumper. The shocking part is, if my mother had slowed down even a little, I would not be here to express my concerns. I believe that all people should strive for safety when it comes to driving. As many wise elders say, "It is not the road you must fear, but the other drivers."

Finally, I wish to express how distracted driving could be permanently purged from the world. Due to the increasing advances in technology, companies could begin to create self-driving cars. This will eliminate any potential risk of distracted driving, due to the fact, the individual is not driving. However, with the people who may not have the means to purchase such a vehicle, I recommend either purchasing a taxi such as an Uber or Lyft. The real productive way to stop all distracted driving would be to simply put down the phone while driving, and if it is a serious emergency pull to the side of the road where you are no longer a danger to yourself or others.