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Eyes Up

By: Mallory Phelps

How important is that text you sent? Or the song you changed? How important is risking someone else's life or your own for something avoidable?

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Understanding the Risks of Distracted Driving: 

The cost of distraction:

A Look into what can be distracting and what consequences take place

A single second of distraction behind the wheel can result in life-altering changes to the person behind the wheel, the passengers, or anyone around. Something must be done to stop these dangerous acts of diversion before more innocent lives are altered by a snap decision made behind the wheel. Distracted driving is becoming a serious social epidemic caused by growing technological dependence. Advances in technology and increased cell phone use have led to an increase in distractions. Multitasking while driving has led to thousands of preventable and tragic casualties nationwide. In 2023 alone, “Nationally, 3275 people were killed in distracted driving crashes” (2025 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts: Distracted Driving). Common distractions include the radio, eating, talking to others in the car, and cell phones. The action of multitasking while driving continues to get people hurt. To reduce the distracted driving epidemic in the United States, the most effective solutions are to strengthen driver education on cognitive distractions and improve communication within vehicle-enhanced technology. Is sending one text or changing your song worth someone losing their life? Cognitive distraction is a major reason for accidents today and must be addressed to reduce accidents. These distractions occur when a driver’s mind is taken off the task of driving, such as glancing away or down or messing with something, and this type of distraction can reduce a driver’s ability to stay focused and react quickly. Unlike physical distractions, cognitive distractions are often unnoticed, therefore more dangerous. As researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state, “Taking your eyes off the road, taking your hands off the wheel, and taking your mind off driving… Any of these distractions can endanger you, your passengers, and others on the road” (CDC). Because cognitive distraction removes most of the mental focus from driving, more education needs to be placed in the hands of drivers to highlight the diversions that reduce reaction time. Distracted driving is a public safety threat because it increases the likelihood of crashes. It is not minor; it is deadly. Mental and physical distraction reduces the brain’s entire capability to focus on what is most important, driving the vehicle. Thousands of lives are lost every year due to dangerous and ongoing driving that can be prevented. By teaching drivers how the brain processes attentiveness and why multitasking is not neurologically safe, the risk may become lower. The overuse of technology currently, through advanced driver assistance and automation, promotes distraction among drivers. Drivers should receive thorough education on safe driving practices and clearer communication about the limitations of in-vehicle technology systems to ensure that advanced driver assistance and automation enhance safety rather than encourage distracted driving. These mechanisms are meant to make driving safer, but they may in fact make things worse by giving drivers a false sense of control, which makes them less attentive. In their 2021 study on driving automation, Dunn, Dingus, Soccolich, and Horrey found that “Drivers were more inclined to engage in secondary tasks and spend more time with their eyes off the forward roadway when driving automation systems were active” (Dunn, Dingus, Soccolich, and Horrey). Drivers must be educated in the risks associated with technology. As technology and automotives become more advanced, humans become more dependent and not all attention remains on the roadway. Using these new inventions to drive them places, take control of the wheel, manage their safety and others, create a false sense of security and disengages the drivers from the road, allowing these new systems to take over something that humans should be doing themselves. Some argue that drivers can safely multitask. Many people claim that they do several tasks at once and that it is okay because they do it all the time. Arguments for multitasking while driving can include blaming other things or people, or saying something is “not that bad.” However, research does not support this claim. Whereas multitasking can appear normal in daily life, driving demands constant and full attention that the brain cannot divide up effectively. Research from Johnson, Berlin, and Altmann states, “Although humans tend to be good multitaskers, our brains are not meant to be actively focused on more than one thing at once, so focusing more on one thing slows down how fast we can react while doing the other” (Johnson, Berlin, and Altmann). Although some believe that they can take control of a situation and safely multitask, research in Maricopa contradicts this belief. Despite the fact that people believe they are multitasking, in reality, they are switching back and forth. They are getting their minds completely off driving and onto something else. The brain cannot handle too many distractions at once. Driving takes over the brain’s ability to think about anything else, so when one little distraction is introduced, this can be fatal. The cognitive limitation in the brain makes multitasking risky. It is thought through personal belief that multitasking while driving can be okay, but there is proof based on neurological evidence that proves it is thought to be a decreased risk. Distracted driving has developed into a dangerous social epidemic due to technology dependence and multitasking, but it can be significantly reduced through focused solutions. Strengthening driver education on vehicles, driving, and how to remain engaged can reduce the frequency of mistakes and accidents taking place on the roads. However, the reliance on modern technology has given people overconfidence. A car’s automation system can take away the driver’s focus from the road to other activities, becoming life-threatening. While some individuals claim that multitasking behind the wheel is manageable, there is scientifically proven evidence to prove that the brain is incapable of focusing on more than one demanding task at a time. By incorporating education and accountability, distraction can be remarkably decreased. As technology advances, authority should as well. Driving needs full concentration. Distracted driving can be stopped by allowing driving to be the one-and-only focus while the action is happening; send a text when the car is stopped, do not adjust music while driving, and put an address into maps before taking off. Stop and think before acting upon something that can be life-altering.

The Irony of a Train ticket:

Correlated through the ideas of an absurd fictionist

Life’s unpredictability is found on the road, where a single moment of carelessness has irreversible effects. This harsh reality leads to absurdist fiction, which explores how inconsistent survival can be. In the mid-twentieth century, the idea of Absurdism was developed by Albert Camus. His idea explored the deeper meanings of humanity’s world. He argued the point that life is defined by the conflict between humanity’s desire for meaning and a universe that offers none. Camus’s ideas became ironically true when he died in a car accident on January 4, 1960. He decided to travel by car rather than using a train ticket and passed away (The Absurd Death of Albert Camus, 2022). This ironic death highlights exactly what his philosophy was about with unpredictability. If Camus were alive today, the increase in distraction while driving would correlate with his philosophy of humanity: that human life is fragile and people easily disregard the unpredictability of things that can happen and fail to accept responsibility for their poor actions. The growing social epidemic of distracted driving advances every day due to technological advancements and the division between people and their devices while driving. By connecting his ideas to real-life behaviors and statistics, distracted driving is proven to be a reflection of human nature and not just a safety issue. The philosophy of Camus offers perspectives on human behavior in situations in life that are unpredictable and uncertain. Distracted driving reflects Camus’s belief that people get distracted and skip past the most important thing, life itself. Albert Camus may have argued that distracted driving can cause people to fail to recognize how fragile life is. Distracted driving is a significant public safety concern, and according to research, “Nine people in the United States are killed every day in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver” (CDC, 2024). This statistic highlights how easily everyday actions can turn into life-threatening consequences. There are countless ways that someone can be distracted while they drive, from things or people in the car to anything outside of it. These distractions are not always recognized until it is too late. Camus thought that, regardless of life's unpredictability and recurring stupidity, people are always looking for meaning. According to his philosophy, absurdity is "man would never solve the problem of their Absurd condition, but the ability to create value from the quest for the 'consciously realized unattainable' might allow him to transcend it" (The Absurd Death of Albert Camus, 2022). Distracted driving is not a minor mistake but a social epidemic. These deaths, through the effect of distraction, are unpredictable in the actions of people. Camus’s philosophy is shown through these recurring deaths, and that people are not aware of their responsibilities. People who drive while distracted act as though life is steady and predictable, failing to recognize that it might end abruptly. Albert Camus would potentially argue that distracted driving replicates humanity’s failure to recognize unpredictable natures in life. In The Absurd Death of Albert Camus (2022), it is stated that “the accident was sudden and senseless.” This accentuates the fact that life is unexpected and can be taken away from someone quickly. This correlates with the statistics of the dangers of distracted driving and how a moment of inattention can lead to tragedy. According to SafeTREC (2025), “distracted driving claimed 3,275 lives in 2023,” demonstrating the fatal outcomes of these acts of carelessness. Together, these instances show how people often choose distraction over awareness, overlooking how unpredictable life is. Distracted driving exemplifies this struggle, as individuals act as if they have total control, despite the constant danger. Camus believed that life is short and can be taken away at any moment. People do not always think about this. They go about their lives as if everything will always be okay, bad things happen all the time, and people still think they are in control. This makes people forget that life can change in a second. Driving splits their attention, becoming less urgent and ignoring responsibility. Life is not always certain, so people should try to be present and mindful of their actions. According to Camus, humans find it difficult to completely comprehend how fleeting life can be when living in an unpredictable world, which is why it is essential to have awareness in every moment and aspect of this unpredictable life. Albert Camus may have argued that people can not accept responsibility in situations when they are wrong in a world of uncertainty. This concept becomes especially significant when modern technology starts to affect human accountability and decision-making. As studied, “while the safety benefits of driving automation systems are evident, it is crucial to better understand the impact these advanced technologies may have on driver behavior and performance to evaluate and address any unintended consequences associated with system use” (Dunn, Dingus, Soccolich, and Horrey, 2021). Technology can make driving better, but it can also alter how drivers behave. As a result, drivers may begin to rely too heavily on these systems, believing that the technology will correct their mistakes. It causes people to blame their acts on this use of automotives rather than accepting responsibility. This relates to Camus's belief that people often find it difficult to take accountability for what they do in an uncertain world. Instead of confronting themselves for placing themselves in dangerous situations, people tend to look for excuses outside of themselves. As indicated, “Camus insisted that even in an absurd and unpredictable world, individuals remain responsible for their choices” (The Absurd Death of Albert Camus, 2022). People repeatedly avoid taking personal responsibility and make excuses to validate their actions, just as drivers might trust automation and blame the results on technology, downplaying their own role in the decisions made. The quote's mention of "unintended consequences" emphasizes the lack of accountability. This connection reveals how technological advancements may worsen the human tendency, described by Camus, to avoid responsibility and place blame on other factors, rather than taking personal responsibility. The increase in distracted driving would likely fit Albert Camus's views on human nature if he were still around today. He believed that although people frequently overlook these facts and refuse to accept responsibility for their bad choices, life is fragile and unpredictable. The widespread issue of distracted driving leads to countless losses of life. Safety research proves and shows how distractions can significantly impair awareness and reactions. This becomes dangerous to those in the car or outside. As a result, many drivers misjudge the impact of their actions until it is too late. This lack of awareness repeatedly changes typical driving scenarios into tragedies that could be prevented. The drastic shift in manner when owning up to negative behaviors allows people not to think and not take accountability. From the perspective of Camus, the trend is consistent with human capacity to face uncertainty and take responsibility, supporting the theory that both human nature and technological dependency contribute to the continuation of distracted driving. Camus describes the chaos and unexpected actions of human existence and how we must always be attentive to our surroundings and actions. In a world without warning, paying attention while driving can save thousands of lives every day.

Distracted Driving:

Reflection Essay

At the beginning of this course, I was confident in my writing. After Composition 1 last semester, my skills grew. However, taking this Composition 2 course assured me that my writing was good before, but only got better. Over time, my writing improved a lot and I could connect ideas better and transition topics smoothly. Looking at my distracted driving argumentative essay and my rhetorical analysis essay, I believe that I executed those essays well and was able to explain my thoughts and organize my research well. I learned how to properly format my essays, compare and contrast pieces together, and analyze information instead of just stating it. These changes show how my writing skills developed throughout the course. One of the most important changes that I have brought into my writing skills during this course is learning to analyze things while also sharing my thoughts. For example, in the essay about distracted driving, I provided facts related to distracted driving, but at the same time, I went in depth in technological dependence, listed examples of common distractions, and provided evidence on automotive systems in automobiles. As I stated, “Drivers should receive thorough education on safe driving practices and clearer communication about the limitations of in-vehicle technology systems to ensure that advanced driver assistance and automation enhance safety rather than encourage distracted driving.” I referred to some studies about the effect of cognitive distraction on the brain and pointed out that multitasking while driving cannot be successfully completed. For instance, “Because cognitive distraction removes most of the mental focus from driving, more education needs to be placed in the hands of drivers to highlight the diversions that reduce reaction time.” Instead of adding quotes into my paper, I analyzed their meaning and made connections between them and the whole discussion. Now I know how to go deeper into my writing and see what sources mean and how I analyze them. Organization and transitions are other aspects of writing in which my abilities have improved. In my argumentative and rhetorical analysis essays, I focused on ensuring that each paragraph serves its purpose and flows smoothly into the next. For instance, in my rhetorical analysis essay, I started by examining the thesis statement of Albert Camus before discussing how his works connected to distracted driving and my argumentative essay. This was proven when connecting his life with harsh truth now when I stated, “This ironic death highlights exactly what his philosophy was about with unpredictability. If Camus were alive today, the increase in distraction while driving would correlate with his philosophy of humanity: that human life is fragile and people easily disregard the unpredictability of things that can happen and fail to accept responsibility for their poor actions.” This connection was possible since I made use of transition words and phrases to guide anyone reading it from one paragraph to another. Before joining this course, my essays were not cohesive or smooth, but now, I know how to organize my paragraphs so that they fit together and flow. My research and formatting abilities were also improved during this course. I learned how to appropriately cite sources, format essays according to APA guidelines (which I had never used in the past), and incorporate quotes into my work rather than inserting them without context. In my essay on distracted driving, I used sources such as scientific research on road safety and explained how they connect to my claims. For example, “Nationally, 3,275 people were killed in distracted driving crashes in 2023” (SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts), which I then explained to show how serious and preventable distracted driving accidents are. In my rhetorical analysis essay, on the other hand, I paid more attention to the techniques used by Albert Camus while citing facts from reliable sources. Such as, when the text describes that “the accident was sudden and senseless” (The Absurd Death of Albert Camus, 2022), which I used to highlight how the author talks about unpredictability. Understanding how to properly incorporate sources into my writing made my essays stronger and better to read. This class proved to be beneficial in helping me become a better and more confident writer. This is because I developed skills in critical thinking, proper structuring of essays, and correct use of research. These abilities will not only be useful in this course but also helpful in the future when writing papers. By comparing my writings prior to this course with my current writings, it can be seen that there have been great improvements made.

Driving With GPS
People Interacting on Bus

References

2025 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts: Distracted Driving | Safe Transportation Research and Education Center. (2025). Berkeley.edu. https://safetrec.berkeley.edu/2025-safetrec-traffic-safety-facts-distracted-driving Anderson, L., & Mercury Insurance. (2026, March 4). The Most Common Distracted Driving Behaviors in the U.S. [2026 Survey Statistics]. Mercuryinsurance.com. https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/resources/auto/distracted-driving-statistics-by-state.html CDC. (2024, April 30). Distracted Driving. Distracted Driving. https://www.cdc.gov/distracted-driving/about/index.html Dunn, N. J., Dingus, T. A., Soccolich, S., & Horrey, W. J. (2021). Investigating the impact of driving automation systems on distracted driving behaviors. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 156, 106152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2021.106152 Friedman, J. S. (2022, December 26). Personal Injury Lawyer. Silverman, McDonald & Friedman. https://www.smflegal.com/2022/12/26/new-technology-to-help-reduce-distracted-driving/ Johnson, S., Berlin, C., & Altmann, J. (2020). Distracted Driving. Open.maricopa.edu. https://open.maricopa.edu/scgb/chapter/distracted-driving/ 2025 SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts: Distracted Driving | Safe Transportation Research and Education Center. (2025). Berkeley.edu. https://safetrec.berkeley.edu/2025-safetrec-traffic-safety-facts-distracted-driving Anderson, L., & Mercury Insurance. (2026, March 4). The Most Common Distracted Driving Behaviors in the U.S. [2026 Survey Statistics]. Mercuryinsurance.com. https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/resources/auto/distracted-driving-statistics-by-state.html CDC. (2024, April 30). Distracted Driving. Distracted Driving. https://www.cdc.gov/distracted-driving/about/index.html Dunn, N. J., Dingus, T. A., Soccolich, S., & Horrey, W. J. (2021). Investigating the impact of driving automation systems on distracted driving behaviors. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 156, 106152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2021.106152 Friedman, J. S. (2022, December 26). Personal Injury Lawyer. Silverman, McDonald & Friedman. https://www.smflegal.com/2022/12/26/new-technology-to-help-reduce-distracted-driving/ Johnson, S., Berlin, C., & Altmann, J. (2020). Distracted Driving. Open.maricopa.edu. https://open.maricopa.edu/scgb/chapter/distracted-driving/ The Absurd Death of Albert Camus. (2022, December 14). Intellectuals and the Media in France. https://intellectualsandthemedia.org/2022/12/14/the-absurd-death-of-albert-camus/

Is one text, song change, bite of food, side conversation, or glance away worth someone's life? 

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