April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

According to Georgia Traffic Safety Facts, 55% of all motor vehicle traffic crashes had at least one confirmed or suspected distracted driver.

So what is distracted driving?

Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving, especially those that take your eyes off of the road or take your hands off of the wheel.

According to stopdistractions.org, a website dedicated to ending distracted driving, distractions include texting, Snapchat, or messaging; using a cellphone/smartphone; eating, drinking, and smoking; talking to passengers; using a navigation system; taking photos or selfies; and adjusting the radio.

I’ll admit I’ve been guilty of all these at least once, but passengers are always my biggest distraction.

When you first get your driver’s license, you’re not supposed to drive anyone but family members for the first six months.

I always thought that rule was silly until I ended up on the wrong side of the road with my three friends in the car.

I had just turned sixteen and I picked up a few friends to go to YoungLife’s MuckFest.

MuckFest was the first event of the year and it was a huge food fight. I had planned for all of us to go together; I had towels in the car and was ready for anything.

After the food fight, we drove over to Sonic to get slushies and clean off at the car hop stand. Everything was still going fine.

We get back in the car, and everyone has had so much fun. We are laughing about who got hit in the head with ketchup and whatnot, when they wanted to play music and open up the sunroof, despite it now being nearly 10 p.m.

So, we did.

The night was ours.

I pulled out of Sonic, and if you’ve ever been to this particular Sonic then you know you cross two lanes of traffic, enter the median, and then get into the correct lane.

I was singing along with my friends, laughing, trying to get them out of the roof when I pulled out and didn’t cross over the median.

I was driving the wrong way and no one noticed until cars started heading directly toward us. I pulled into an entrance and we all started screaming.

After a brief moment of terror, we closed the sunroof and tried to re-enter the roadway.

I now understand why you don’t bring your friends on the first few rides. You’re too excited and too distracted.

You don’t mean to be; you don’t want anyone to get hurt, you just get caught up in the moment.

I know my friends also didn’t mean to be distractions.

No one intended for me to be singing and laughing along and miss the median.

But, having more passengers reportedly multiples the opportunity for distractions.

This isn’t to say never ride with your friends.

Some of my best memories have been riding around on Friday nights, jamming out with friends, and watching the sunset go down on a dirt road.

This April, just remind your friends and passengers to be respectful. If it’s a really busy intersection you’re entering, and they start to engage in a conversation just ask them to hold off for a second; see if they can help gauge the traffic, or lower the radio.

Most of all, stay alert this month, and remember as a driver, you’re responsible for everything that happens in your car, so lay down the law if need be. The goal is to always arrive alive, even if it means awkward silence for a car ride or two.