The demand for keeping up to date has caused teenagers everywhere to constantly be on their smartphones.
There is a nonstop need for our young ones to be distracted in order to feel included in every conversation.
This demand has created a sweeping problem with texting and driving throughout the nation.
Teenagers and young adults are now addicted to their phones more than ever and people are dying because of their dependency to texting.
Young ones are now a slave to their smartphones.
Unfortunately, because of the desire for teenagers to feel included and accepted, any teen can get caught up in the moment and make a mistake that may cost them their life as well as someone else’s by texting and driving.
It can happen to anyone!
Regardless of how bright your adolescent’s future is or how much common sense they have, one little mistake can turn to be fatal. Adolescents especially have to be careful while driving because they don’t have the experience that more seasoned drivers do.
As a result of their lack of experience, teenagers aren’t as capable to react properly in an unsafe driving situation. Only taking your eyes off the road for a second can cause an automobile accident. The risk of your teen being hurt in an automobile accident is extremely high if they are on their phones while behind the wheel.
However, the dangers of driving have always been present since the automobile was available to the public. There were hazards and bridges to cross from the beginning.
Hazardous driving has always been an issue since the first mass produced automobile came out in 1901.
“In the first decade of the 20th century there were no stop signs, warning signs, traffic lights, traffic cops, driver's education, lane lines, street lighting, brake lights, driver's licenses or posted speed limits. Our current method of making a left turn was not known, and drinking-and-driving was not considered a serious crime.” Bill Loomis, Detroit News.
I remember when I was young not wearing a seatbelt was the epidemic that needed to be worked on. Fortunately thanks to seatbelt laws people are now finally realizing that seatbelts are a requirement for driving. Presently, texting and driving is the new issue that must be addressed.
Thanks to current research, we have the data to show that texting and driving is a serious problem.
According to Edgar Snyder & Associates
- “1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.”
- “Nearly 330,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving.”
- “11 teens die every day as a result of texting while driving.”
- “According to a AAA poll, 94% of teen drivers acknowledge the dangers of texting and driving, but 35% admitted to doing it anyway.”
These statistics are the most recent available and shed some light on how addicting texting can be. If 35% of teens admitted to texting and driving, it is probable that in reality the percentage is much higher.
This obsession to texting causes many accidents and deaths every year, yet nothing is done about it.
As parents, it is our responsibility to monitor our teenager’s cell phone activity. Find out more on how to monitor your childs texting activity.
Here are a few things you can do to stop your kid from texting and driving
- Make sure to keep track of the times they are driving as much as possible and see if they sent any texts during that time.
- Talk to your kids and share with them some texting and driving statistics. They may not realize how dangerous it is to text and drive.
- Help them to understand that they could be in major legal trouble if they hurt someone by texting behind the wheel. Share with your teen some of the laws in regards to texting and driving. Let them know what will happen if they get pulled over for texting behind the wheel.
- Remind them how often people get hurt or die from texting behind the wheel and that if they do so a life or multiple lives could be lost.
- Make sure to set rules that have consequences if broken.
- Install an app such as CellControl, which is an app that helps stop distracted driving.
- Be a good role model yourself. Make sure you don’t text and drive, especially when your teenager is in the car with you.
As a result of the amount of texting, adolescents do on a daily basis, texting to them has become something that is not seen as a distraction.
Teenagers think they are so good at sending texts, tweets, and the like with their cell phone that they believe they can multitask while doing so.
Please share these statistics as well as lay down some ground rules for your teenagers so that they are more likely to make the right choice.
You can also print out a pledge form at Distraction.gov for your child as well as yourself to commit to being phone-free while driving. If you sign the pledge as well it will set a good example and show that you care about their safety.