Distracted Driving Research Paper

Most people can recollect their initial experience behind the wheel of a car. Their palms are sweaty and they might feel butterflies in their stomach as they are nervous for the exciting task ahead. Indeed, driving a car for the first time can be an extremely exhilarating and daunting job for most people, and the fundamental goal on their mind is to arrive at their destination in the safest manner possible. After several commutes, however, a driver begins to feel more comfortable. Consequently, I believe ease and relaxation are the roots of the issue when addressing distracted driving. A person loses focus after garnering a substantial amount of experience behind the wheel, leading to many negligent acts of which all drivers are guilty.

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currently am a resident of Sun City, Arizona. Whether I am commuting to work, school, or the local hospital where I volunteer, I spend several hours on the road. As a result of these extensive hours in the driver’s seat, distracted driving has become a problem. When alone, I am more prone to use my cell phone as no one is in the car to judge my actions. Texting while driving is not normally an issue for me; however, other temptations still exist. The most prominent issue is music. Lately, attempts at finding the right song or playlist on my phone require me to take one hand off the wheel and both eyes off the road. This arrogant, careless act is unacceptable. Doing something this selfish endangers my life, as well as the lives of other drivers and pedestrians. Reminiscing on all the times that I have taken the focus off driving to select a song, I wonder how many other lives have been placed in jeopardy.
While traveling alone has provided me with issues, commuting with other passengers has proven to be more problematic. I often am required to drive my younger brother to work as he does not possess a license and both of our parents work full-time jobs. My brother and I tend to argue or provoke each other, leading to serious distractions. Consequently, transporting my brother to and from work has provided me with clearer insight to the severity of distracted driving. For example, during one commute we began arguing so intensely that I completely lost focus on my driving. After several minutes, we came to the realization that I was driving nearly twenty miles over the speed limit for that road. Thankfully, no person was harmed due to my absentminded driving; however, the fact still holds true—driving while distracted is a critical issue that needs to be addressed in an efficient and organized manner.