Life Story “Just One Quick Message”

Emir is twenty-seven years old and works as a sales representative for a regional building supplies company in Austria. Most weeks he spends more time in his company car than at his desk. He visits customers, travels to trade fairs, prepares quotations and answers calls from clients who often expect an immediate response. He enjoys the independence that comes with his work. Every successful meeting feels like proof that he can be trusted. On the other hand he is working on a series of short-term contracts, Emir knew that being reliable and immediately available often determined whether his contract would be renewed.

Emir grew up in a Bosnian family that settled in Austria during the 1990s. His parents often spoke about the opportunities they had been given and the importance of making the most of them. From an early age he learned that punctuality, reliability and hard work were ways of showing gratitude and earning respect. His father rarely complained about long hours, and his mother always reminded him that people remember whether they can rely on you.

These values shaped Emir’s identity. He wanted colleagues to describe him as dependable. He wanted customers to know that he would always call back. If somebody sent a message, he felt an urge to answer quickly. Over time that habit became almost automatic.

His smartphone was essential for his work. It displayed his route, reminded him about appointments and connected him with customers throughout the day. Without noticing it, he started checking notifications whenever the phone vibrated, even while driving. He never considered himself reckless. He respected speed limits, always wore his seatbelt and never drove after drinking alcohol. In his mind, dangerous drivers were those who raced, ignored traffic rules or deliberately took risks.

When road safety campaigns warned about distracted driving, he quietly assumed they were talking about someone else. ‘I only look for a second,’ he often told himself. ‘Nothing can happen in a second.’ Because nothing bad had happened before, the habit felt completely normal.

One autumn afternoon Emir finished an important meeting with a potential customer. The discussion had gone well and he hoped it would become one of the biggest contracts of the year. While driving home through a familiar town, his phone vibrated.

A message from the same customer appeared on the dashboard display. The client had one additional question before making a decision.

Emir knew he could wait until he reached his destination. He also knew that company policy encouraged employees to avoid distractions while driving. Yet another thought immediately appeared: what if a delayed reply made the customer think he was not interested?

Without consciously deciding, he glanced down at the notification. Only for a moment. His hands remained on the steering wheel. The car continued moving. Everything seemed under control.

When Emir looked back at the road, his heart almost stopped.

A young boy had stepped onto the pedestrian crossing just ahead after getting off his bicycle.

Emir slammed on the brakes with all his strength. The tyres screeched loudly. Loose papers slid from the passenger seat onto the floor. The car stopped only a very short distance before the crossing.
Nobody was injured.

The boy looked surprised, then continued across the road with his parent. Traffic slowly began moving again, but Emir remained motionless behind the wheel. His hands were shaking so much that he had to grip the steering wheel tightly before he could continue driving.

That evening he barely slept. Again and again he imagined what might have happened if he had looked away for one second longer. He realised that the frightening part was not that he had intentionally taken a huge risk. The frightening part was that the behaviour had become routine.

Instead of trying to forget the experience, Emir decided to learn from it.

The following day he activated the ‘Do Not Disturb While Driving’ function on his phone. He also recorded an automatic message explaining that he would respond once he had arrived safely. At first he worried customers might see this as poor service. The opposite happened. Several thanked him for putting safety first.

The incident also changed conversations with colleagues. When Emir shared what had happened, many admitted they had experienced similar situations. Some had answered messages at traffic lights, others had quickly checked navigation or emails while driving. Almost everyone believed they were still in control.

These discussions helped Emir understand how easily risky behaviour becomes accepted when nobody questions it.

He also noticed changes in himself. Instead of feeling pressure whenever the phone vibrated, he reminded himself that professionalism meant making good decisions rather than immediate decisions. Arriving safely was part of doing his job well. Gradually the urge to check every notification disappeared. New habits replaced old ones.

Today Emir still spends many hours each week on the road, but he drives differently. His phone remains silent while he is behind the wheel, and messages can wait until the journey has finished.

Looking back, he recognises that his motivation had never been selfish. He wanted to work hard, support himself and honour the values his parents had taught him. Yet he also understands that responsibility includes protecting other people. Family responsibility, professional commitment and public safety are not competing values—they belong together.

The near miss changed more than one driving habit. It changed the way Emir thinks about everyday risk. He now understands that serious accidents often begin with small decisions that feel completely harmless. Whenever new colleagues start travelling for work, he tells them his story. He hopes that hearing about a near miss will prevent somebody else from experiencing one.

‘Most risky decisions don’t feel risky at the time. That’s exactly why we need to take them seriously.’

1. Have you ever used your phone while driving because you believed it was safe?
2. What everyday risks have become normal for you?
3. How does pressure to respond quickly influence your behaviour?
4. What strategies could help you reduce distractions in daily life?