Last week, I watched a DVR recorded episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition in which they built a home for a family that had lost a daughter to texting while driving and were trying to spread the word to teens about the dangers of such a seemingly simple behavior.
Tears sprang to my eyes a few times during the episode, but honestly, I had never given texting while driving much thought. I've done it. I've done it and realized I was starting to drift. I've done it in a hurry with the baby in the car. I didn't do it often, but sometimes I was even checking Facebook or email. I have been on my phone when I should have been all about the road.
I thought texting one letter at a time, or just glancing down for a second wouldn't be a big deal. And I have never even come close to an accident because of the phone, but . . . then the tv show made it clear how ridiculous it would be to die or hurt someone else for a silly text message that if it were really THAT important, I could just use a voice app to call them, hands free.
The issue seems to be all around me this week. I got an email about an essay contest for an editorial about the dangers of texting while driving. A friend posted an AT&T video The Last Text. I cried empathizing with the losses of the people in the video. I thought about the boy who killed someone and the girl whose sister died reading her text message. I thought about how senseless a risk it is to even glance at the phone while I am in control of a vehicle.
My daughter needs a mommy who is going to come home safely and transport her safely to and from school. My daughter deserves my best attention on the road. We can't hope that everyone around us is giving the road their best attention. If any of the other drivers around me are drinking coffee, touching up lipstick, yelling at kids in the backseat, or just suck at driving . . . I can't anticipate every possible move they might make.
Before I saw the video, I put my phone down while driving today. I only looked at it at the stoplight and in the line for the drive-thru pharmacy while stopped. I decided it wasn't worth it. I decided that my impatience wasn't worth it. After watching the video, I am glad I did. I hope that I can maintain my conviction not to text while driving, temptation rears its ugly head every time my mind isn't busy. Maybe I need to invest in books on tape, but I am going to do what I can to make sure the people I love are safe by not picking up my phone. It can w8, don't txt & drive b4 its 2 l8.
Tears sprang to my eyes a few times during the episode, but honestly, I had never given texting while driving much thought. I've done it. I've done it and realized I was starting to drift. I've done it in a hurry with the baby in the car. I didn't do it often, but sometimes I was even checking Facebook or email. I have been on my phone when I should have been all about the road.
I thought texting one letter at a time, or just glancing down for a second wouldn't be a big deal. And I have never even come close to an accident because of the phone, but . . . then the tv show made it clear how ridiculous it would be to die or hurt someone else for a silly text message that if it were really THAT important, I could just use a voice app to call them, hands free.
The issue seems to be all around me this week. I got an email about an essay contest for an editorial about the dangers of texting while driving. A friend posted an AT&T video The Last Text. I cried empathizing with the losses of the people in the video. I thought about the boy who killed someone and the girl whose sister died reading her text message. I thought about how senseless a risk it is to even glance at the phone while I am in control of a vehicle.
My daughter needs a mommy who is going to come home safely and transport her safely to and from school. My daughter deserves my best attention on the road. We can't hope that everyone around us is giving the road their best attention. If any of the other drivers around me are drinking coffee, touching up lipstick, yelling at kids in the backseat, or just suck at driving . . . I can't anticipate every possible move they might make.
Before I saw the video, I put my phone down while driving today. I only looked at it at the stoplight and in the line for the drive-thru pharmacy while stopped. I decided it wasn't worth it. I decided that my impatience wasn't worth it. After watching the video, I am glad I did. I hope that I can maintain my conviction not to text while driving, temptation rears its ugly head every time my mind isn't busy. Maybe I need to invest in books on tape, but I am going to do what I can to make sure the people I love are safe by not picking up my phone. It can w8, don't txt & drive b4 its 2 l8.
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