Never Text and Drive- Stay Alive!

Let us strive for safety and vitality! With a myriad of accidents on our roads, we can explore ways to champion text-free driving and hands-free communication, along with safety-driven driving apps. Together, we can raise awareness about these preventive measures and more. Texting is the most alarming distraction. Using a cell phone while driving creates enormous potential for deaths and injuries on U.S. roads. In 2022, 3,308 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. You cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has your full attention (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2020).

“It’s my mission and life purpose to help people see that they are supposed to be happy and love their life and themselves and only have good things come to them.”

– Ashley Jones-Davis

Ashley Jones-Davis was a smart, beautiful young woman who was full of life and always smiling. On February 18, 2011, Ashley died when her car crossed over the center line and smashed head-on into a Freightliner box truck. She was sending a text message and never looked up. This is just one example of a tragic, avoidable event that all of us need to consider. Can we take the TADD pledge together? I pledge to completely stop texting and using my cellphone while I am driving. I understand the dangers associated with these actions and will spread the word to my family and friends to help us put an end to the dangerous habit (Epstein, 2019)

First, it is of vital importance to be mindful while driving, especially when it comes to avoiding distractions such as texting. It is crucial to recognize that such behavior is not only dangerous and irresponsible but also significantly increases the risk of accidents and injuries. To prevent such situations, I make sure to turn off my phone, use hands-free devices when necessary, and plan my route ahead of time. It is essential for everyone on the road to take these measures to protect themselves and others. To further promote these ideas, I educate my friends and family about the risks involved, actively participate in campaigns and initiatives focused on safe driving practices and set a positive example for others.

Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that texting while driving raises the likelihood of crashes by 23 times compared to other activities. These alarming figures underscore how fatal texting while driving can be not only for yourself but also for innocent individuals sharing the road with you. For instance, tragic incidents like one that occurred in 2018 serve as a stark reminder; a 17-year-old girl lost her life after colliding with a truck due to being distracted by texting her boyfriend. She wrote in her most recent message, “I love you so much.”

Moving forward, consider using a hands-free device for communication while driving. Texting and driving are dangerous and illegal behaviors that can result in severe accidents and injuries. To avoid texting and driving, hands-free options allow you to communicate without holding or looking at your phone.

Some examples of these devices include Bluetooth headsets, mounts for your dashboard or windscreen, and cell phone-blocking apps. Bluetooth headsets are wireless earpieces that connect to your phone through Bluetooth technology. They enable you to make or answer calls using voice commands or a simple tap, with some models even supporting text-to-speech and speech-to-text capabilities. Dashboard or windscreen mounts are designed to hold your phone securely in place on the dashboard or windscreen so that you can see the screen without diverting your attention from the road. Using voice commands or a single tap, you can activate features such as navigation, music playback, or making calls on your phone. Cell phone blocking apps are applications specifically created to prevent the use of phones while driving by muting notifications, sending automated responses, or locking the screen.

Specific applications can monitor your driving habits, like how fast you are going, how abruptly you are braking, and whether you are using your phone. These apps may offer feedback or even rewards to encourage safe driving habits. When it comes to avoiding texting and driving, a few options are available for hands-free devices. However, it is crucial to remember that using a phone while driving can be distracting and negatively impact your focus and response time. The safest choice is to turn off your phone entirely or stow it away while driving, only using it when you are safely parked or in an emergency.

More than anything else, planning and minimizing distractions is essential. Texting while driving is both hazardous and irresponsible behavior that can lead to accidents and injuries. To prevent this, I turn off my phone, utilize hands-free technology, and plan my journey. It is vital to remember that any use of a phone while operating a vehicle has the potential to distract you from the road and impair your ability to react promptly.