The importance of being an attentive driver can’t be stressed enough, especially in a time when there are so many things that act as a distraction.

Due to this ongoing need, the National Safety Council has named April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

According to reports by NCS, every seven seconds an individual is injured in a car crash and every 15 minutes someone dies as a result of injuries sustained in a crash.

As a new driver, it didn’t take long to realize the dangers distractions pose while driving. Thankfully, my alertness has prevented a ticket and kept other drivers around me out of danger.

But perhaps this wisdom was achieved through a loss in my extended family.

Back in 2007, I lost my cousin in a car crash and that memory is still fresh in my mind.

At only 18, he was an aspiring engineer and was beloved at home by his mother.

The accident that claimed his life left three survivors who were in the vehicle with him on that ill-fated day.

I was upset, depressed, but more than that I was angry because he was at fault.

The impact of the crash caused destruction beyond comprehension and I knew I wouldn’t want to put my family in that situation ever in my life.

If you decide to drive at a high rate of speed, you are putting another individual’s life in danger and that would be really unfair.

Inexperience is a leading cause of accidents, especially while learning to drive on busy highways.

If you’re uncertain about driving alone, take a more experienced driver along until you’re comfortable to take over the wheels

Remember you could be responsible for several other lives on the road, than your own.