Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) was an influential Irish novelist, playwright, and poet, born in Dublin, Ireland. He is very well known for his masterpiece “Waiting for Godot.” One of his key figures is in the theater of the absurd; his work often features minimalism in a setting, and tragicomic characters navigating the absurdity of human existence. Beckett’s belief still remains madness and most people would agree that he would consider distracted driving a social epidemic or natural gratuity and madness.

Beckett’s perspective is rooted in the absurdity of humanity; the absurdity of human existence shows that in his plays explains how we have control over the mind and body. The  work he shows explains the limitations of language and knowledge. Beckett would most likely view distracted driving as an ultimate, tragicomic manifestation of the human condition. According to Beckett, waiting for Godot says, "Boots must be taken off every day, why don't you ever listen to me?" (Beckett, Waiting for Godot). This explains that some people get so distracted that they forget what they are supposed to do daily. This shows us that it can be used to show that distracted driving is caused more or less by driving itself. According to Beckett, Waiting for Godot says, "There's a man all over you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet” (Beckett, Waiting for Godot). People will often go on to blaming others without taking the blame for themselves for what they may have caused. This shows that if one person gets into a car accident, they would most likely blame the other person for the incident rather than themselves because they don’t want to be the cause of it. In the case of distracted driving, people often scramble to check social media, talk, and even eat behind the wheel. 

While traffic and distracted drivers often show us that accidents can happen even when they are aware of most danger around them, most accidents are rarely even reported. According to Beckett, Waiting for Godot says, "One out of the four of the other three, two don't mention any thieves at all, and the third says that both of them abused them” (Beckett, waiting for Godot). This statement shows us that one may have seen the incident and reported what happened, while the other witnesses may not even mention anything happening. This is an example of what can happen during a car accident, while you are aware of what's happening while driving. We can often get into an accident. According to Distracted Driving, “as a driver may be more focused on hearing someone on the phone, using their hands to text, looking down at their phone, and worried about what they're saying to someone else on the road.” (Cellino Law, 2024, Para 7). This continues to show that when it happens, the other driver may not even report the incident and keep driving off, while others will help. People’s humanity during these times may show you that there is still good in people in the world. Even though people’s humanity is still excellent, some people’s humanity only increases their dependence on technology, showing how some people may not have common sense. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that “in 2023, 3,275 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers.” (Distracted Driving. NHTSA, Para. 1). The number of people dying by distracted driving would be a great example of how Beckett would see distracted driving as a tragicomic manifestation. 

The one law that helps us to have less phone usage is the “Hands-free law,” which is stated for Oklahomans. The law is supposed to prevent people from holding, touching, and using their cellphones while driving. This law isn't supposed to be only for Oklahoma because other states have a ton of problems with this, too. Other states have started to put their own “Hands-free law” in place to make places better for others on the road.  According to Distracted Driving Laws, "Distracted driving is not just an individual bad habit—it is a systemic public issue with legal, behavioral, and technological implications. Despite national efforts to curb distractions behind the wheel, more than 3,300 lives were lost in 2022 alone due to distracted driving.” (Christensen Law, 2025, Para. 45). While we try to enforce laws, Beckett would see these laws as “drama” to human existence. He would see it as constant nagging, but still make it seem like it’s enforcing them to act out. This brings no meaning to forcing the drivers to act right in the first place.

Throughout Samuel Beckett’s absurd poems and plays, Beckett would argue that the journey of human existence would often lead to distracted driving without them being truly present, if being distracted while talking to others, while being on your phone, and you don't hear them talking. This is the exact example that if you use your phone while driving you won’t see what's happening on the road because you won’t be fully aware of your surroundings. Beckett would agree that the law isn’t being enforced much. According to Distracted driving, “there are four common types of distractions that can lead to a car accident: auditory, visual, cognitive, and manual."(Cellino Law, 2024, Para 7). Beckett would say that the disconnect between the physical body and the mind would see distracted driving as a “physical action” in which the mind would be distracted. Therefore, Beckett would view using a phone or being distracted while trying to escape from reality. This is an example of Beckett’s work as a character who’s “not there.”

Beckett’s belief still remains madness, and most people would agree that he would consider distracted driving a social epidemic or natural gratuity and madness. Beckett might see distracted driving as a character in a play and can show that they are unconscious of what they may be doing.