Growing up in the modern day and time, I’ve seen countless drivers scrolling on their phones, their eyes locked on the screen—and not on the road in front of them as they should’ve been.

Unfortunately, my mom was–and still is–one of those drivers. She loves to maximize her time, and using her phone while driving was the fastest way to get everything she needed to accomplish done in a timely manner.

At first, I thought it was normal. I mean, if the industry makes phone stands and car chargers and cords, there must be a reason for them, right? Don’t they basically prop up and sustain the phone for the driver to use?

And to me, it wasn’t like it was just my mom who used—everyone else did too. As a kid, my rule of thumb was that if everyone else did it, then that means it’s okay for me to do that too.

Little did I know how wrong I was.

As I started growing up, I began realizing just how dangerous it was to not have one’s eyes on the road. I began learning about the specifics of driver education as I entered high school and started taking notice of the numerous car crashes I spotted on my way to school. I read news articles detailing the damages and injuries incurred by the accidents and what caused them—more times than not, it was the result of distracted driving.

Going into the latter years of my high school, my mom’s attention span during driving—while still having previously been preoccupied by her phone—grew worse. I can’t even count on my fingers the amount of times my mom’s almost hit someone on a busy road simply because she wasn’t looking up.

Consequently, I’ve started to worriedly watch the road every time she drove, my eyes keeping a lookout for any innocent pedestrians that pass by. I’d panickedly shout whenever I saw a passerby, afraid she wouldn’t spot them and convinced this could be the day we run someone over.

Additionally, anytime I see her pull out her phone or start scrolling on it, I immediately beg her to do so at a time when she’s not driving, worried something disastrous could happen the minute she takes her eyes off the road.

While I’m fortunate to not have been involved in any car accidents personally, I’ve had friends who have been hit by distracted drivers and it’s an important issue that needs to be addressed.

While phones are definitely one of the main causes behind distracted driving, there are plenty of other reasons too, whether it be taking care of a crying baby in the backseat, engaging in conversations with passengers, or looking for something in the car while driving. Regardless of the reason, it is still important to stay concentrated as a driver and only focus on the road. If something needs to be dealt with or if there’s trouble finding something, pull over or wait until a stop light to do so. Have any conversations with the passengers at a later time and only use the phone for emergency calls and the GPS.

To bring light to this issue, I think it’s important that we communicate the dangers of distracted driving in an emotional and touching way. We all know that distracted driving can lead to car accidents, but what does that really mean? Car accidents happen so often that it doesn’t feel impactful anymore; at the end of the day, it becomes another number and statistic to the majority of those who hear about it.

We need people to really understand how life-changing a car accident can be.

Sure, some accidents may just cause a dent in the car, but what about the ones that kill and maim people? Put individuals in hospitals and destroy their cars, leaving them in mountains of debt?

Sharing real-life stories on how accidents have changed either the survivors’ lives or the deceased family’s lives can leave a meaningful and impactful impression on those who see it. It’d help people understand how real and possible a life-threatening car accident can be and how quickly one’s life can change from one mistake. By understanding and fearing the possibility of experiencing a car accident, individuals would be more likely to want to drive safer and eliminate any distractions that could endanger their focus and thus, their safety

To promote these stories and the dangers of distracted driving, it’s best to create a video or PSA to engage viewers. If it can be promoted and shared on social media, that’d be even better. Additionally, if it’s possible, there should be mandatory videos—like the PSA video I mentioned above—that aspiring drivers must watch before getting their permit or license. If this is implemented as a mandatory requirement, it’d increase the amount of individuals aware of this issue and will ensure young drivers—who are the most susceptible to distracted driving—to avoid distracted driving.

Another possibility to consider, especially in ensuring that young drivers are aware of this issue, is to put more questions about distracted driving on their permit test or require them to complete an online course or attend an in-person lecture or session that teaches about the importance of staying focused while driving and how to avoid being distracted. The course and session idea may be more impactful in helping young drivers than the PSA and video suggestion simply because it requires them to be actively engaged in learning about distracted driving and can operate like a classroom, allowing room for questions and sharing of personal experiences, fostering more learning.