I did not want to immediately comment on the video from yesterday - found here - because I wanted everyone to watch it and just think about it. Really think. The simple fact is that this practice has to stop.
By this practice, I do not only mean texting while driving. I mean speaking on the phone while driving, and even using Bluetooth when you don't even have to hold a phone. Holding the phone is not the main issue. Thinking is.
I am sure all of us have encountered drivers that are in some sort of conversation on their cell phones, often too wrapped up in the call to notice that they are drifting into the wrong lane or that the light has turned green. This goes from annoying and discourteous to incredibly irresponsible and dangerous. Legitimate emergency situations that would justify the use of mobile phones while driving - to report an accident, inform police of a robbery in progress, etc. - account for fewer than five percent of all cell phone calls made in cars.
The Harvard University Center for Risk Analysis estimates that there are as many as 1.5 million crashes annually in the United States leading to 560,000 injuries and 2600 deaths due to phone use in moving vehicles. These are death rates comparable to drunk driving. Would you do that? It is common sense that a person involved in any conversation, particularly on a cell phone, is less alert than he or she otherwise would be. Such a driver is less apt to notice changing traffic conditions, merging cars or developing situations that could require him to execute an avoidance maneuver or stop suddenly. I cannot even count the number of times when I have had to swerve to avoid a driver speaking on their phone going into my lane or pulling out in front of me, and most of the time I have two babies in my car with me.
It INFURIATES me when I see someone attempting to drive while having a phone conversation. {I really don't even want to comment on texting as that is nothing but pure idiocy and anyone who texts while they drive obviously has no brain to speak of and no sense of responsibility behind the wheel.} The simple fact is that your focus is not the same, and you are voluntarily inhibiting your ability to pay attention to the road and others on it. LIFE IS A GIFT and no text or phone call is worth taking it away - especially that of another person and more over, that of a child. You do not want that type of black mark on your life.
I was reading the comments below the video on YouTube and this one really jumped out at me:
"Today I followed a woman who was so preoccupied with her phone that she hesitated several seconds at every signal change, waited beyond her turn at every stop sign, was drifting out of her lane here and there...so at the first red light I got out and approached her car. I asked her if she personally knew anybody who had been killed because of a distracted driver. She replied that she had not. To that I simply smiled and replied, 'It shows.' "
PUT
THE
PHONE
DOWN
IT. IS. NOT. WORTH. IT.
Happier posts to follow but please, think about this, and if you commonly do any of these things - calling, texting, whatever while driving - make the commitment to yourself and to the other men, women and children that you are endangering that you will STOP. Right now. Today.
I don't know about you but I want to see my babies grow up.
I agree.... And we all can learn from each other, right?
ReplyDelete6/7/10: In the car seat whilst we are driving. I know I know, he could choke and that is a very bad thing. Bad bad bad. ..... I can't turn around and tell him to stop plugging his nostrils with coconut and dates because I'm on the phone with the modeling agency trying to get a booking done for the shoot and must sound put-together.
EXACTLY! It was a horrible habit of mine. I actually saw a wreck happen last summer as a result of someone talking on their phone and that jolted me to the reality of the situation. I am so thankful I learned my lesson before I personally hurt my family or someone else's!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, Anonymous, if you are going to call me out on past behavior, at least have the guts to type your name rather than hiding behind the Anonymous label. I won't bite you, I promise.
So what do you think about Gov. Perry vetoing the no texting while driving law? My gut tells me that he's doing it for a future presidential run that will get the Tea Party votes regarding personal freedom. I also believe that he has never been affected (family) by distracted driving.
ReplyDeleteSheridan-
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog a few months back and now I read it re-lig-ous-ly. You are my style guru. Sometimes when my gals (with whom I've shared your blog) and I are getting ready we "channel our inner Sheridan French." Seriously. But..
Nothing you have said has resonated more with me than this post. My girlfriends and I lost one of our best friends to texting and driving on June 29, 2009. It rocked all of our worlds and clearly, we are all adamant protesters of it now.
I cannot thank you enough for putting this out there. It infuriates me seeing people putting theirs and others lives at risk just to send a meaningless text. It. Can. Wait. I was brought to tears sitting here at work reading your post. It means so much more than you realize.
Thank you again. :) Keep on rockin' it.
xoxo
Jordan
tina - That is difficult. I am certainly supportive of personal freedom, however texting/talking while driving is akin to drunk driving, and I fully believe in the illegality of that, of course. I do not feel like we can trust individuals to make the responsible decision and put the phone down, so I personally would like to see texting/talking while driving illegal in Texas.
ReplyDeleteJordan - your comment gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes. It breaks my heart to hear of you having gone through this personally. What an unfortunate and unnecessary tragedy; why does it take something like that to open our eyes?? I am so glad this post spoke to you. I pray others read your comment and take it to heart. It can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime, and the only prevention is not texting or talking full stop. On a lighter note, nothing makes me happier than hearing you and your girls are a fan of my blog! Thank you for your support :) xoxo S.
Thanks for posting the poignant video. The ending really surprised me, but hopefully it sticks with everyone else like it has for me. I caught myself multiple times in the car (trying to pick up the phone) and thought back to the video. I would hate to be a part of something like the wreck you saw or what happened to Jordan. Thanks again for the thought provoking post. Even though we all like fun and fashion, sometimes we need a little reality check too!
ReplyDeleteAt my last checkup, by Dr. asked me 4 questions: 1. Do you smoke? 2. How often do you drink alcholol? 3. How often do you exercise? 4. Do you talk on the phone while driving? The last question was new. I asked why she added the 4th. Her answer: because studies show that you're MORE DISTRACTED THAN IF YOU HAD BEEN DRINKING ALCOHOL OR SMOKING POT BEFORE YOU GOT BEHIND THE WHEEL. Now, I'd made it a point before that NEVER to talk on the cell phone with kids in the car. That sobering statistic also put a stop to taking on the phone while in the care PERIOD.
ReplyDeleteAmen Sista!! Preach on!
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree. A few days ago, I was driving on the highway with my mom and there was a car about 2 ahead of us and it was getting so close to the left line, then it would veer back to the middle, then go all the way to the lines on the right.. And back to the middle again..and so on. When we finally passed the car, I looked over to see who was driving- a young girl playing on her phone.
ReplyDelete