Last August I wrote about a post about how The American College of Emergency Physicians' warned of the dangers of texting and, [insert your activity here]. Since then, there has been increased attention on the number of accidents caused by distracted drivers attempting to text and drive at the same time.
I will admit that I have caught myself trying to send a text message, finish an e-mail or post a "clever" tweet, when I should be driving. And I will also admit that I know it is very, very stupid, and I'm determined to change my ways.
Which is why I signed the "Keep Your Mind on the Wheel" pledge which says:
We pledge to set firm house rules on texting and phoning while driving.
We pledge to help spread the word on the dangers of distracted driving.
It's been about a week since I signed the pledge, and I have to admit, it's harder than I thought it would be. Every time I hear my iPhone "bing" I feel my fingers twitch. My eyes wander towards it when I hit a stop light. But I try to resist.
I've also started to make changes to help me resist temptation:
- making sure I have my hands-free headset (and it's charged and turned on)
- putting my phone into silent mode so it won't "bing"
- keeping my phone stashed in my pocketbook, keeping it out of reach
Now that I'm getting my texting under control, it's time to turn my attention towards my other distractions – yelling at my kids and eating (sometimes at the same time – now there's an image for you).
Are you a "distracted driver?" What changes are you making to keep your eyes on the road?
Kristin! This is FANTASTIC! Thank you so much for posting about the pledge and for signing on to Mom Sends the Msg – http://www.momsmsg.com! You ROCK! This post raises SO many great points and I LOVE the idea of getting that phone out of sight and out of mind – brilliant! Thank you Kristin!
It completely amazes me that *anyone* EVER thought texting while driving was okay. Hurtling down the highway at 65 isn’t dangerous enough, so you need to ignore the road to get attention on Twitter? I suppose these are the same people who cut me off when they are on the far lane of a three lane highway and simply *must* get to the exit, damn near crashing into me and probably congratulating themselves on what a great drive they are in the process. Sorry, it’s not you who is the great driver, it’s *me*.
We at Nationwide Insurance believe that we can make our roads a safer place to drive by finding solutions to the driving while distracted problem through legislation, education and technology.
Good luck with your pledge to “Keep Your Mind on the Wheel.”
I put my phone in the back seat or trunk to resist the temptation. Keep us posted on your struggles and successes.
Modifying behavior and changing old habits are hard, but when it comes to life and death type activities it is an important topic. Distracted drivig is a very complex issue and several recent studies have shown that the majority of drivers who are distracted know that it is dangerous (and even illegal). So it is unlikely that education and legislation alone will solve this epedemic. Recently, I have helped start a company called ZoomSafer. ZoomSafer is patented software for mobile phones to prevent distracted driving. ZoomSafer is in the business of helping motorists make better decisions, reducing accidents, saving lives, and saving money. You can try it for free at http://www.zoomsafer.com
Just try to remember that only about twenty years ago we lived without all these things. How did we do it? We just waited to see our friends. Just like the name of the magazine, it’s REAL SIMPLE. tada.
Great idea. Texting while driving just seems like such a bad idea. Would you play video games while driving? No reason you can’t call instead if it’s that important (not that that’s much better, but at least your eyes are on the road!).
Great Idea! I’m signing the pledge. Its very easy. I’m an avid cyclist and have been for well over a decade. Things have really changed. When I began riding, there were fewer cars on the road & of course talking and texting while driving was unheard of back then. I almost can’t complete a ride without getting “right hooked” by a distracted driver – or brushed by their vehicle because as they pass me in haste. I thank my maker every time I step onto my porch again. It may be a sign of the times (which I don’t accept), but it never ceases to amaze me that someone would choose to run over someone’s mother or sister – or crash into someone’s father, brother or child for the sake of reading or sending a text message. Is it really worth all that? You can’t turn back the clock once you have made that choice. So I hope this will encourage more people to make the right choice. Slow down a little. Give someone else the right of way. Learn to enjoy life by being kind to others instead of selfishly demanding to be first. Its really over-rated. Thanks for reminding us to be safe!
I got into texting about three years ago and it almost became another daily “habit” until I started noticing people sitting beside others in a restaurant texting (or talking) to someone else, friends and co-workers interupting a conversation to check a message and/or return a message, and saw people in front of me on a couple of occasions distracted with texting. I decided that I wanted to keep some boundries in my life and that I was comfortable being alone with my thoughts or the person who happened to be sitting beside me. I determined all this messaging was not emergency related and that I would set aside time each week to catch up with friends. If someone needed an answer they would get it at an appropriate break in my daily activities. Sooooo, yes I pledge to not text while driving. Scouts honor!
I don’t text while driving–but I did play with my iPod while driving
. Then a friend of my son’s was run over by a person who was doing the same thing with OnStar. My son’s friend spent a month in ICU. That chilled me to the bone. I still listen to podcasts, but don’t search for new ones without pulling over.
Studies have shown that it is talking on the phone while driving that is distracting — even if you have a hands-free headset. Please folks, concentrate on your driving. A vehicle is a dangerous thing.