TEENS, your goal should always be to be safe while on the road.
Zero fatalities is an incredible nonprofit here in Utah that you should probably learn about! In fact, you’ve probably heard of them while in drivers ed :).
Distracted Driving can be really scary stuff!!!
Even when you think it’s the perfect moment to send a quick text and no one is around… THINK AGAIN!
You are driving down the street when there are no cars and no one is in sight, you think you have 2 seconds to spare to type a quick word…You don’t!
Anything can happen when you take a chance like that!
I want to share a story that I have told only a few people. This story is hard for me to write but I think it is one that needs to be shared. About seven years ago, I was involved in a car/pedestrian accident. I was the driver. I was driving through an almost empty parking lot and it was dark outside. I was reaching for my phone that was in my purse that was right next to me. I didn’t have a plan to send a text, I just wanted to hold it in case it went off (not the brightest, I know). I think I looked down for half a second to grab it. As I was looking up there was a guy on a bicycle right in front of me. I slammed on my brakes as hard as I could… but I HIT HIM. Mind you, this was a parking lot – – I was only going between 5 to 10 miles an hour. I hit his bicycle, he rolled up onto my windshield and fell to the ground in a matter of seconds.
My heart dropped, I was in a panic. I put the car in park and ran out to check on him. The guy was okay but was so shaken up. He had some cuts and a severe headache. I felt horrible. I was in a state of shock that wouldn’t even allow me to cry one tear. My heart ached for this man and if I would have given up that one distraction that didn’t cross my mind as being big deal, this wouldn’t have happened.
I have not been able to forget about this story. My heart still aches when I think of the situation. It was my fault, I take full responsibility for that. The main reason I share this story with you is that just maybe it will make you aware of how important every second is when you are behind the wheel. I pray this story can maybe save one life! I believe Heavenly Father blessed both of us that night because things could have been a lot worse.
NOTHING is that important that it can’t wait. Even if it was that important, I was in a parking lot…I could have parked to take out my phone and check on it. When you are driving and your phone goes off – PULL OVER! If you are getting on the freeway – let those you may be tempted to text know that you are on the road. Phones are so cool, you can put it on airplane mode or even set up your driving settings so it sends a message instantly to those trying to get ahold of you.
You have the power to save the lives of others and to save your very own life!
Let’s be clear, it is not JUST texting and driving …. it is DISTRACTED DRIVING!!!
Doing ANYTHING on your phone:
-emails
– finding music or a podcast to listen to
– using apps
-talking on the phone or via speakerphone
– changing the radio station (if people listen to that anymore ?
– eating
– watching a video
– putting on mascara
– reading
– trying to access or look at your GPS
THIS LIST IS SIMPLY JUST A FEW
Want Some Facts?:
– 1 in 4 car crashes involved distracted driving
– 4.6 SECONDS is the average time a driver’s eye is away from the road while sending/receiving a text message (that equals the length of a football field @60mph)
– If you text and drive, you’re just as dangerous as someone twice the legal limit of alcohol
Be the POWER OF ONE that makes safe choices for you and others around you!
