Texting and driving is one of those all-too-tempting but dangerous pastimes that we’re all familiar with. Whether we like to admit it or not, we’ve all checked our phones at times when we shouldn’t have, but being on the road is probably one of the most dangerous times. To help distract yourself from the temptation of checking your phone, here are some tips to keep your eyes on the road.
Make a playlist to listen to.
Listening to music, in my opinion, is the best part about driving. It’s so nice to throw a playlist together and sing along to your favorite songs from the comfort of your own car.
When I make the six-hour journey between school and home every few months, I always make sure I have a decent playlist to listen to. Long (or short) car rides are always more fun when you have some good music to listen to!
Talk to your friends (or, honestly, talk to yourself).
If your friends are in the car, talk to them! There’s no reason to look at your phone while the people you should be talking to are sitting there with you. And, if nobody is in the car with you, something I love about driving is the freedom to talk to yourself. It’s a little weird to admit, but we all talk to ourselves at times, and alone in the car is the best place to do it. Whenever I have to do some kind of public speaking, I prefer to practice it by myself, when I’m alone and driving in my car.
Or, if you are anything like me and your favorite traveling companion is your dog, just soak in the moment and enjoy how happy he/she is!
Actually look at the road.
The point of this article is this: there really is not much you should be doing while driving, except driving.
Recently, a man killed 13 people because he was texting and driving. Witnesses say that after the crash, all he could do was repeatedly say, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was texting.”
I get it: I’ve looked at my phone while driving more than I care to admit. I’ve tried to both eat breakfast and finish putting on makeup while driving. I’ve changed clothes while driving, talked on the phone and played around with the radio while I should have been paying attention to the road. I consider myself a careful driver, but we all do it; we all get distracted by things other than the road.
But there are so many things you should not be doing while driving. Drinking and driving, texting and driving, or taking pictures while driving (the below picture, while really aesthetically pleasing, is a perfect example of what not to do while on the road) are all things you should not be doing. Whatever you do, it isn’t worth risking your life, the lives of your friends or the lives of everyone else on the road.
In short, the only thing you should actively do while driving is watch the road in front of you. If you feel tempted every time your phone buzzes, turn it on silent or turn on your Do Not Disturb Mode. It only takes a second for an accident to happen, and sending that one text is not worth risking your life.