People all around the world can’t seem to put their cell phones down even if that means endangering themselves and others.
Photo by Hanna Kazlovskaya
“LOL”, “G2G”,” J/K”, these small three letter acronyms along with many others have become part of the vocabulary for millions of people all over the world. Now an alarming 81% of people in the United States text these short words to each other while driving.
Clearly adults and especially teens these days are obsessed with texting, whether it is at school, with friends, at work, home, and most unfortunately while driving. Statistics show that an alarming 81% of the United States population alone admit to texting while driving. The dangers of texting while driving are just as numerous and unfortunate as the consequences of those actions.
Texting has become a great phenomenon of the 21st century; a phenomenon that has outstanding advantages as well as devastating disadvantages. Sending a quick message to someone when one is in a hurry instead of having to have a long conversation, or taking a picture of something funny and sending it to a friend, makes life easier and more enjoyable for many people. The art of texting is made even more attractive with all the new high tech phones emerging such as the Droid or the Blackberry Torch. To add to that, new features such as mobile banking and 4G also add to the appeal of texting. The “Can you hear me now” Verizon commercials don’t make it easier for people to resist the charm of a cellular device in all instances.
Although it may be easier to send a friend a quick message about the homework he or she missed or capture a funny moment in a video and send it to a family member who is miles away, or even send a spouse a touching birthday message on the way to work, it doesn’t compare to the potential consequences of doing all of this while driving.
Driving distracted can not only cause terrible accidents, but it also weighs heavy on the wallet. Texting while driving can earn drivers a fine that can range anywhere from $150 in Georgia to $250 in New Jersey. Clearly, the cost is not worth it.
There are many big academic tests known to students, the ACT and SAT to name a couple, but another big test is the driving test. Practicing before the big test is key to getting the license, an event that all 16-year-olds look forward to and work hard for. However, a license is as much of a pleasure as it is a privilege. But statistics show that people who can’t put their phones down for a few minutes especially while driving, are 23 times more likely to get into an accident. Although it is tempting to hear that text ringtone while having your hands at 10 and 2, the moment a hand leaves the wheel a person is that much closer to hurting themselves and/or someone else within just a few seconds.
November 20, 2007 was a night Victoria McBryde’s family can never forget. At approximately 11:00 p.m. McBryde’s yellow Fiat Punto was hit by Phillipa Curtis’ blue Peugeot at approximately 60-70mph, after she had been distracted by her mobile device. A fashion school graduate, Victoria McBryde, 24, was forced to pull over after a flat tire gradually caused her car to slow down. Had she not been distracted by her phone Curtis would have clearly seen McBryde’s emergency lights on; unfortunately, the Fiat Punto was sent spinning across the road causing McBryde a fatal head injury and an immediate death.
The McBryde family lost a daughter and a sister within a matter of seconds, an event that changed their lives forever. A divorce, constant fighting, anger and resentment were all consequences of this tragic night that tore a family apart. Curtis was found guilty and sentenced to 21 months in jail.
There is no way to bring back a loved one who has been lost. No text message is worth wasting even a few seconds of one’s attention. Even though the 21st century is a technologically advanced world which keeps on growing, changing, and becoming more high tech, that is never an excuse for people to act less responsible.
Technology has allowed people to find cures for diseases, build satellites to orbit the earth in space, create cars with a lot of horse power, and have advanced cell phones that allow people to do things from booking a flight to communicating with people halfway around the world. Nevertheless, in a moving car – a technological device itself – people not only control the car but also their actions.
