That text can wait! Don't be the next victim

A few weeks ago I was headed to a meeting when I got behind a car that was swerving back and forth across its lane. It was early in the morning and I was thinking surely someone is not drunk already! After the car almost ran into the curb as it went around a curve, I decided to make a traffic stop and see what was going on. The driver was not even close to being drunk. The source of the problem ended up being a cell phone. The driver was texting a friend and not paying very much attention to the road.

Growing up, a phone ringing would bring about the same reaction as a door bell ringing. Someone was waiting on the other end so it had to be answered. This same sense of urgency carried over to cell phones when they began to take over the telephone world. When text messaging started becoming the "thing to do," I thought it was a nice feature because someone could leave you a message and you could respond when you had the time and not have to stop and answer it right then. That is still how I use text messaging, but I am finding more and more that people are responding to texts like they would a voice call. It is common for someone to send me a text and if I do not respond within a few minutes, they are texting me again wanting to know if I am going to respond.

While new technology is very beneficial and more convenient, it also has its danger when it comes to what I like to call "distracted drivers." While some give very little concern to texting and driving, I can say it is a very big problem in today's world. It is alarming how many accidents are being caused by people who are texting on the phone. It can distract people from their driving abilities even on a voice call so when you have to take your eyes off the road to look down at your phone, it becomes even more of an issue.

Studies show that an average person will take their eyes off the road for about 5 seconds at a time to check a text message. At 55 miles per hour, your car will travel about the length of a football field. That is a lot of distance to cover without even looking at the road. The same studies showed in 2011 that your chances of being involved in a vehicle crash increased by three times when you text, reach for your phone, or try to place a phone call while driving. Even though Missouri has a law that prohibits anyone under the age of 21 from texting while driving, I would encourage every one of all ages to be alert while driving. The text message can wait until you have reached your destination unscathed. Talk to your children about the dangers that it can cause, and help us make sure you are not the next parent receiving that phone call that something horrible has happened.