I chose to write about the current popular culture topic of text messaging while driving. There has been much discussion recently about text messaging while driving as many states already have a law banning it and other states are still mulling over the issue. After watching the Oprah Winfrey Show on Monday, I will never text while driving again. I will have to admit that I am guilty of it, but I have only done it a few times. Many people text while driving on a daily basis. Oprah Winfrey had several families on her show that had lost a loved by being hit by someone that was text messaging while driving. It was a very sad show. A young couple on the show had an eight-year-old daughter that was hit on her bicycle by a women in an SUV that was text messaging and not paying attention to the road. The young girl did not make it. The couple was on the show to convince people not to use their cell phones while driving. Oprah also had a young man on her show that had hit and killed a husband/father because he was text messaging while driving and was not paying attention. He was nineteen years old at the time it happened. He now has to live with that the rest of his life. Oprah stated that text messaging while driving is equivalent to taking four shots of alcohol.
More than a quarter of all traffic accidents in the U.S. occur when people talk on their cell phones or send text messages while driving. A new study released by the National Safety Council stated that 200,000 traffic accidents occur annually when people are sending text messages (Resnick, 2010). That study just goes to show what a huge national problem driving distracted really is. Nineteen states have banned the sending of text messages while driving. I really hope that one day all states will ban it. It could save so many lives.
Resnick, David. Study Underscores Dangerous Link Between Texting and Crashes. PR Web; http://www.prweb.com/. January 23, 2010, January 23, 2010.
I also saw the show that you are referring to. I especially liked the part at the end where she had 2 people take a test on a driving course to see how well they did while texting. I believe that both of those people were parents and did texting while driving with their children. After taking the test, they no longer plan to text while driving.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that dialing and talking on the phone is just as dangerous. I see people driving pooring when they are on the phone all the time. They cross over the lines of their lanes because they are not paying attention to their driving. I believe that several states are making this illegal.
Excellent blog. I too was involved in a major car accident that involved somebody that was texting while driving. While I barely made it out of the accident alive and still here to write about it, I think it should be banned!!
ReplyDelete