I saw this article the other day from Texas, and it occurred to me: Hey, this is a problem in my state, too. The article said that almost a third of teenage drivers surveyed in Texas regularly talk on their cell phone while driving, yet do not use headphones. The bigger problem, according to the survey by the Texas Transportation Institute, is that one in four reported that they regularly write and receive text messages as they drive.
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Going further, the results showed that teenagers from rural schools were more likely to text at the wheel than those in urban school districts. And of the more than 4,000 surveyed, 48% of the ones from the rural schools said they've talked on the cell phone 10 times or more while driving. About 25 % of those from urban schools said they used their cell phones that often while driving.
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Here's the problem: driving while distracted is a dangerous habit. In fact, more and more states have enacted laws banning texting while driving. And for good reason. It can be a deadly habit. If you're one of those who likes to talk with your thumbs as you drive, you're not only taking your own life, but the lives of other into your hands.
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Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like the laws banning texting and driving are having a lot of impact so far. Teens still do it regularly. You can see it a lot, especially when cars are backed up during rush hour. So the teen will start texting when the car is at a stop, thinking it's safe, but then he doesn't finish it by the time traffic starts moving—so he finishes the message, even while driving.
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By the way, statistics in almost every state show that the ones most likely to die from texting and driving are teens. It doesn't matter, though.. They still do it regularly. But let me be one more voice urging you, if you text and drive, stop it. It's not only frustrating for other drivers to see you not paying attention, but it's an easy way to end your life—and the lives of others on the road—early. And even if that doesn't happen, there are legal fines and even incarceration that could follow. So for the sake of your billfold, for the sake of your life, and for the sake of your loved ones who don't want to lose you, hold off on texting until you get home.
