One of the most dangerous things you can do today is get on the back roads and interstates and drive. Yes, drive! According to the Highway Safety Commission, the leading cause of death—yes, death—among people aged 5 to 54 is unintentional motor vehicle accidents. In fact, each year, hundreds of thousands of deaths result from traffic accidents. Unfortunately, when most people think of traffic accidents, they immediately think of drunk drivers. The truth, however, is that each and every one of us is likely to get behind the wheel and lose our life—while completely sober—and the other driver may be sober too.
Driving recklessly is one of those incidental personality flaws that you don’t discover about someone until you get behind the wheel with them. Here’s this person who is ultra-careful with their kid, always on “accident watch,” holds down a respectable job, and seems to abide by the rules in life—but they drive like a complete idiot. Not only do they roll through stop signs and go 20 miles faster than the speed limit, but they also seem to have the sense that they are the only person on the road. Ironically, they buckle their kids in for safety and wear their own seatbelt, but have absolutely no common sense when it comes to getting behind the wheel.
The Growing Threat of Distracted Driving
What makes matters worse is that today, it’s nearly impossible to drive on a public road without seeing someone texting, talking on their cell phone, fiddling with their car radio, or even putting on makeup or picking their nose in the mirror while they are behind the wheel. Nearly everyone—from young kids to older adults—is driving while distracted, which is the number one cause of traffic accidents and fatalities in the civilized world. With all the attention that Mothers Against Drunk Driving gets, you’d think it’s only the drunk drivers who kill people with their cars. But the reality is, it’s the regular, average Joe—who either causes or doesn’t avoid a traffic accident because they’re busy doing something… anything besides driving when they get behind the wheel.
Ironically, despite the steady increase in advertising and education about the dangers of distracted driving, the number of distraction-related incidents on the road is rising. People think they can answer just that one text, hand that one thing back to their screaming child, or go just a little bit faster because they are running late—and then are surprised to find themselves in a traffic accident.
Many people also have a sense of entitlement and become little adrenaline junkies when they get behind the wheel. The silky leather of the steering wheel or the purr of the engine seems to make their inner daredevil emerge. The problem is, they don’t just put their own lives and well-being at risk—they also endanger the lives of everyone else around them. Is this a form of egotism? Or is it a complete lack of respect for others that causes them to behave as if they are the only vehicle on the roadway?
As a general rule of thumb, you expect the 16-year-old new driver to make irresponsible choices behind the wheel. You expect younger people to speed and act out emotionally while driving. This is precisely why insurance rates are so high for young drivers. But you don’t expect the stay-at-home mom driving the minivan to be a complete idiot when driving to and from school. You don’t expect the little league football coach to be the one running you off the road as you leave the ballfields, or the teacher at your child’s school to be peeling out of the Wal-Mart shopping center. Yet, it is often these surprisingly should-know-better folks who are the most dangerous drivers.
The best advice is to stay out of these people’s vehicles. If you must ride with them, don’t be afraid to be a backseat driver and let them know how you feel about their reckless driving. To avoid being hit head-on by moronic drivers who lack common sense, it’s wise to always stay completely focused when you’re behind the wheel. This way, you can avoid run-ins with these folks, which could be costly in more ways than one.
Sadly, education and awareness are not the answers. Each day in the United States, more and more traffic tickets are being written, and the cost of fines is constantly increasing. Drivers today, who have accumulated a certain number of penalty points on their license, are required to take driving education and awareness classes. People who choose to drive drunk face stiffer penalties than ever before, and laws are being passed to make it illegal to text while driving. Yet, the message seems to not be reaching everyone.
Let’s revisit a statistic mentioned earlier. Between the ages of 5 and 54, the number one risk to your life is the threat of being involved in a car accident. The chances of dying in a car wreck are more likely than the chance of dying from any other cause. This underscores the high risks of driving recklessly—no matter the reason. Tragically, your distraction at the wheel that causes a fatal accident is not something that can be undone afterward.
