My eyes, my heart, my focus. At all times. Especially on the road.

 

 

Last week two construction workers were killed while working on the highway 15 minutes before their shift was over. While picking up the last of the orange cones, a vehicle had struck a construction sign that was placed in order to designate cars to get in the right lane and unfortunately the two workers were nearby and were fatally killed as a result. What exactly happened just seconds before the crash? That is still under investigation. However, what the police officer at the scene stated to the press had the most impact of all: "How are we focusing 100% on the road when we have an accident and drivers driving by are videotaping and taking pictures."

What does this tell us? That we need to be more aware of the distractions around us. That we need to eliminate as many of these distractions as possible. And that we, as the AAOS & Auto Alliance state, must keep our most advanced safety feature, ourselves, alert and engaged to the road at all times.

 

Working as a registered nurse in a critical care setting at one of the most advanced hospitals in the state has opened my eyes to many things. Many good, and many bad. We have the opportunity to see the worst of the worst cases, the sickest of the sick, and the tragic crashes that have unfortunately taken the lives of too many, too soon. It has also shown me the impact that distracted driving can have---not only on an individual, but an entire family, strangers, and even the community. How something can instantly change our life in a split second.

 

When you sit down to think about it, driving is perhaps one of the most dangerous things we do on a daily basis. We have to remember that once we are behind that wheel, not only do we have to be aware of our own choices that we make, but we have to be equally aware of the choices made by the other individuals around us. Extra caution, extra awareness, and extra attention to the environment around us while driving.
 

 

Why are we talking about all this right now? Because bringing awareness to this important subject is crucial to bringing on change, and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons & Auto Alliance would like to do just that.

Want to learn more and partake in the Decide to Drive Catch phrase contest? Come back here at the end of the month and learn more about the details to enter. The contest will run from May 30th-June 13th, 2014. The program is designed to engage passengers in conversations about distracted driving---at home, at work, and school. Its focus is to bring attention to this problem and reduce distracted behaviors that occur while behind the wheel.

I sit here and look at the pictures of my family members and cannot help but think about how there is nothing more important in life than them. This right there is my main focus. My main focus when I drive----to be safe on the road at all times. Not only for my own family but for every other driver out there that have their own loved ones waiting for them.

Simply put, everything that seems important probably is not when on the road. Everything can wait.
 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.