There are many dangers on the roadways these days: roadside construction, pedestrians crossing and other motorists that are out of our control.
There are however, things that we can control while driving a motor vehicle: ourselves. The moment you get behind the wheel of a car, you are assuring yourself and everyone on the road that you are capable and are prepared to safely navigate your vehicle.
But what if that is not the case for everyone we encounter while driving the streets? What if we are actually believing that driving is second to sending a text?
In our modern society, constant availability is a commodity we have become accustomed to. We are able to communicate constantly through cell phones.
I must admit there is usually not an extended period of time I am without my cell phone somewhere close by. Could it be this accessibility is even getting in the way of our driving skills?
What a thought. It’s not so much that this generation is beginning to text and drive, but that we are learning to drive while texting.
We are combining one skill with another that should be left separate.
Due to this recent trend of learning to drive while communicating over text, there are a whole new set of concerns. Texting and driving is claiming the lives of people daily.
The question to ask is, are you setting yourself up, or are you believing the lie that you can handle multi-tasking behind the wheel?
I would be a hypocrite if I said I was not guilty of texting while I was on the road, but after recent events in my hometown, I definitely think twice about it.
On Aug. 17th of this year, a Madison Ridgeland Academy school teacher was killed in a car crash that involved a 19-year-old student. The student is accused of not only speeding, but also texting at the wheel.
If these allegations are proven true in the coming weeks, not only one life will have been destroyed, but two. A life was taken from us because someone broke that promise to be safe while they were on the roads.
These are circumstances we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemy.
The sad reality of this situation is that it could happen to anyone. We have been brought up to not only drive safely but to stay accessible at all times, thus texting behind the wheel.
This could have been you or me on either side of the situation. We are so used to technology that we believe that we can handle it in every circumstance, but the evidence proves otherwise.
National Public Radio recently posted an article by John Hamilton, noting that scientists say according to new studies, multitasking is not as simple as we may think.
We basically flip back and forth between two things very rapidly; we can’t concentrate on two things simultaneously.
It went on to give several examples of situations in which multitasking is impossible.Think about this: you’re talking on the phone and reading an e-mail at the same time. It is not likely that you can fully participate in the conversation as well as read the e-mail entirely and be good at both.
If this information is true, then what makes us think we could do two complex things such as texting and driving at the exact same time?
Driving should not be something that is prioritized under texting. There is nothing wrong with being unavailable for a few minutes between destinations.
When we are learning to drive or teaching someone to do so, it should be an automatic reflex to put down the cell phone, not pick it up.
Unfortunately, with so many these days it has become habit to pick up a phone and send a text the second the seatbelt is clicked.
New drivers are learning to drive while texting, thinking that the two can be done at the same time.
Change needs to happen or more accidents will happen. We need to be that change. Put down your phone and focus.
Sarah Ulmer is a sophomore majoring in communication. She can be contacted at [email protected].