Dangerous Driving: Texting & Driving
These days every single person owns a cell phone. We are addicted to technology and for many, it’s impossible to even leave a house without one in hand. There are even rehabilitation centers for technology addicts. This is the sad reality of the 21st century and of technological progress. In addition, more and more people are choosing not to interact live. So they choose to text instead of picking up the phone and giving a call. Unfortunately, many choose to text while driving.
Driving is very dangerous as it is. You never know who may crash into you, who can run out on the road unexpectedly, or how slippery the road may be that day. Do you know that by taking your eyes off the road for 5 seconds at a speed of 100 km/h you are covering the length of a whole football field?
According to statistics, 90% of Canadians are against texting and driving, and yet 20% still do it (I personally think that number is much greater than 20%). More people die from texting and driving than from speeding and drinking combined! Now doesn’t that make you stop and think next time you are behind the wheel and have the urge to text someone “hello”?
Smartphones are supposed to make us smart, but you are not very smart if you are using them while driving. Especially when you have a kid in the back of your car, you are not only going to harm yourself but the child too. That would be a good case scenario. But what if a child dies, but because of your stupid mistake? That’s just outrageous. You can take away someone’s future because of your lack of control.
Many drivers think that it’s not a big deal to grab a phone when they are stuck in traffic or there are no cars on the road. They do it once, twice - nothing bad happens and they get into the habit of doing it. They think they are not like everyone else and are fully aware of everything that happens on the road around them and on the screen.
They say in about 75 years we will all have autonomous cars. However, until then we should stop and examine our behavior. Is it really worth it at the end of the day? Is it really that urgent for you to text someone that very second? Are you a neurosurgeon? Is the house on fire? Someone is having a baby? A heart attack? Does someone’s life depend on you sending that text right away? But someone’s life may depend on you if you don’t text.
I could lecture you on and on about the dangers of texting and driving by looking up the statistics on texting while driving and car accidents. People old and young will continue to get hurt and die because of someone’s careless mistake. You should say to yourself, enough is enough. Turn on your favorite radio station and sing along to your favorite song instead. Try it next time. Maybe it’s not so bad.
