Texting While Driving

Years ago, I was rear-ended by a teenager answering his phone while driving. I had stopped for a car in front of me to take a right hand turn. I glanced in the mirror (Safety rule #1 Foot to Break, Eyes to Mirror) and saw a car coming down on me. I tried to get out of the way, but it was too late. I was the meat in a car sandwich. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, but I did have my toddler in the backseat at the time. Personally, I hold the teenager's mother at fault. She knew he was enroute and called him. If she hadn't called. her son there would not have been an accident.

The following is a public service announcement. I hope you can pass the word to your family, friends, and co-workers. Feel free to cut and paste the video and subsequent message on your blog, Facebook Notes or wherever.

Many companies have started eliminating cell phone usage while driving, texting and talking, due to the increase in accidents. When you are issued a cell phone by your company, IT IS NOT YOUR PHONE. It is the company's phone and you must play by their rules.

Over the past year my husband's company has debated the elimination of cell phone use in vehicles, they have now adopted this practice throughout the company. My husband personally committed to this several months ago and found it to be a difficult but good change. Please take some time to view this video and then consider the three questions below.

http://ut.zerofatalities.com/texting.php

Below is just a sample of what research has learned about driving and using cell phones or other electronic communication devices. Most of the data/research is related to talking on cell phones but also includes texting, GPS, Email, and the like.

• A 20 year old on a cell phone has the reaction time of a 70 year old
• Twofold increase in the number of simulated rear end collisions when drivers were conversing on cell phones vs. not
• Drivers talking on cell phones are more impaired then drivers with Blood Alcohol level of 0.08
• Drivers are far more distracted by cell phone conversations then by conversations with passengers
• Study found drivers make more mistakes when talking on cell phones than when talking to a passenger
• Hands free cell phones were found to be just as distracting as hand held
• Texting while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol
• You are four times more likely to be involved in a serious accident involving a fatality or a disabling injury
• In an insurance survey 67% of drivers reported using cell phones 45% admitted being hit or nearly hit by a driver on a cell phone
• In the same survey 4 out of 5 cell phone owners admitted to driving while distracted
• As far back as 2003 the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis reported 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious or disabling injuries, and 2600 deaths were directly attributable to cell phone use while driving
• Upwards of 90% of all drivers still think they are above average drivers, isn’t that a curious statistic
• Finally it’s a hard habit to break but if I can you can

1) Do you believe it can happen?
2) Do you believe it can happen to you?
3) Will you find a way to break the habit?

If you don’t believe it can happen to you then ask yourself one more question. Have you ever had one of those moments when you were using a cell phone and you looked up to see you were no longer headed straight down the road in your lane?

Something to think about, isn't it?

Write on!