Text Messages: What if The Cost is Your Life?
March 9, 2010 | VReitano
Texting and Driving. We’ve all done it, at least once. I don’t know about you, but I get itchy fingers the moment I hear the tell-tale “iPhone DING” coming from my purse. We can’t help it; in today’s society we’ve been programmed to give an immediate response, but is that immediate response worth your life? Text messaging etiquette is necessary, but does it require an instant response? I often feel that if I don’t answer a friend within .2 seconds of the DING on my phone, I’m being disrespectful. In fact, no matter where I am–driving, class, gym, etc–if I don’t answer in time, I often start my messages with “I’m sorry I was….” as an explanation for my lack of attention to my cell phone.
But are these rules of etiquette important enough to endanger yourself and the lives of other drivers? I don’t think so. Of course I’m not blameless either: I’ve answered my phone from time to time and occasionally I’ve sent a response text at a red light. Despite my need to clarify where I sent that rogue text, it still can be damaging because my mind is now on the text message or phone call instead of driving.
For as long as I can remember, there have been car phones, which ultimately became cell phones and also for as long as I can remember, there have been rules limiting their use. The texting problem seems to have been an issue since…well texting began. According to this New York Times article, a 2007 survey by AAA and Seventeen magazine found that 46 percent of drivers 16 and 17 years old text while driving. The Web site, Don’t Drive and Text cites this survey and several other statistics for their existence. This site is dedicated to educating teens (and that includes college students because we make mistakes too!) about the dangers of texting and driving. Additionally Oprah has begun a crusade against this deadly habit.
Oprah’s site has a video you can watch about the dangers of texting and driving, it’s important to understand the situation before signing the “No Phone Zone” Pledge. Even if you don’t sign it, think about your motives and reaction the next time you send a text message from your car. Try to send less– approach it like drinking and driving: you can’t do it so you don’t. Now if only we could be as cautious with out other in-car distractions.
What do you think? Will you sign this pledge, or make one of your own? Sound off below.
If you are still curious about more information on this subject check out these most recent articles:
NYTimes Blog, May 2008– While this article is old, it offers an interesting take on texting and driving…
Anyone willing to admit to texting and driving? Or does anyone have a personal story that scared them straight?
When I was teaching, I started talking about laws and we wound up discussing the newly passed “No texting” law in California. I suggested that my class and I take an oath to not text while driving for an entire week and we’d discuss it the next week.
Interestingly, students who knew people or who had been in accidents involving texting took it very seriously, and already didn’t text.
But students who were not close to accidents found it impossible not to.
I made it six days without sending a text message while driving. It was incredibly hard not to pull my phone out at red lights. But the personal stories of people genuinely scared me straight.
Maybe we all just need to know the right scary story.