I will be the first to admit that I am “kind of” guilty of texting and driving. It isn’t something that I do regularly, but I have checked my texts while sitting at a traffic light and then before you know it the light is green. Sure, the phone gets put down and hands are back on the wheel, but my attention isn’t 100% on driving 100% of the time, which could certainly set the scene for disaster.
We have all seen drivers run red lights, right? Imagine looking up from your phone, hitting the gas and not seeing the car that is now in the intersection colliding with your car, having run the red light. Sure, the red light runner is at fault and may have hit you anyway, but if (and it is a big IF) you had been paying 100% attention, would you have been able to avoid that red light runner?
I am taking the pledge, as I am writing this blog post.
Did You Know?
• Those who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a car crash.
• Of all cell phone related tasks while driving- including talking, dialing or reaching for the phone- texting while driving is the most dangerous.
• In 2010, texting while driving increased 50% in one year and 2 out of every 10 drivers say they’ve sent text messages or e-mails while behind the wheel- despite the rush by states to ban the practice.
• When drivers read or send a text message, their reaction time is doubled; and when asked to respond to a flashing light while texting behind the wheel, drivers were more than 11 times more likely to miss the light altogether.
Do you have your cell phone close by? Go ahead, grab it and look at the last text you sent. Is that text worth dying for? To get an idea of how distracted you are when texting and driving, check out this Texting and Driving Simulator.
Will you join me and take the pledge? Please comment below and let me know that you have taken the pledge.
