I don't know how many of you caught the Oprah show today, but I want to tell you how it opened my eyes.
Today's show was on "America's new deadly obsession" or Distracted Driving.
The show particularly focused on texting while driving.
I am embarrassed to admit that I am guilty of occasionally texting while driving. I get how you think you are a safe driver, how it won't happen to you. Almost every week I drive 80 miles one way from school to my hometown to be with my fiance. I've driven that road hundreds of time. I get how dull the scenery becomes. I get how you think you can multitask...
So far only 19 states have passed driving while texting laws. Utah has, to my knowledge, the most strict laws regarding distracted driving and passed a bill that states if you cause an accident because of texting you could face up to 15 years in prison. I commend my state for doing this. But why aren't these other states passing laws? In another article I read California driver's face a measly $20 fine. In Utah, even though this harsh law is in place, I believe many people still text and drive. Today I want to voice how I feel about this and hopefully convince you to stop.
One of my biggest fears is car accidents. I'm not sure why I am so terrified of them because I have been fortunate to never have been in one. Today on the Oprah show they stated you are "4 times more likely to be in a car accident when talking on the phone." The statistic was the the same for drunk driving. Shockingly they stated you are "8 times more likely to be in a car accident when texting on the phone."
That's right.
Texting while driving is worse than driving drunk!
Some of you may think you have mastered the whole texting while driving thing and that it couldn't possibly happen to you. Well, I'm here to say I thought that about myself.
But the reality is you can't.
YOU JUST CAN'T.
I spent a lot of time thinking about this today. I thought a lot about how one small insignificant text could change someone's life forever. FOREVER! (That is a really, really long time.)
I thought about all the dreams, plans, goals, and years ahead of my life with Lincoln. Not one single text is worth changing those dreams forever. I made him promise me today that we will never text and drive again. It's simply not worth it. I want him here for those dreams I have for us. I want him here for 70 more years.
Whether it be my life, his life, your life, or somebody's mom, dad, sister, brother, or best friend.
Don't you want the same thing?
I ask you to think about this. I ask you to stop texting while driving.
I also invite you to read the synopsis of today's show and to beg everyone you know to also read it.
Please, please, please stop this obsession. It is something that is 100% avoidable.
So far 25,150 people have pledged on her site to put an end to distracted driving.
Today I am taking the pledge.
Will you?
Today's show was on "America's new deadly obsession" or Distracted Driving.
The show particularly focused on texting while driving.
I am embarrassed to admit that I am guilty of occasionally texting while driving. I get how you think you are a safe driver, how it won't happen to you. Almost every week I drive 80 miles one way from school to my hometown to be with my fiance. I've driven that road hundreds of time. I get how dull the scenery becomes. I get how you think you can multitask...
So far only 19 states have passed driving while texting laws. Utah has, to my knowledge, the most strict laws regarding distracted driving and passed a bill that states if you cause an accident because of texting you could face up to 15 years in prison. I commend my state for doing this. But why aren't these other states passing laws? In another article I read California driver's face a measly $20 fine. In Utah, even though this harsh law is in place, I believe many people still text and drive. Today I want to voice how I feel about this and hopefully convince you to stop.
One of my biggest fears is car accidents. I'm not sure why I am so terrified of them because I have been fortunate to never have been in one. Today on the Oprah show they stated you are "4 times more likely to be in a car accident when talking on the phone." The statistic was the the same for drunk driving. Shockingly they stated you are "8 times more likely to be in a car accident when texting on the phone."
That's right.
Texting while driving is worse than driving drunk!
Some of you may think you have mastered the whole texting while driving thing and that it couldn't possibly happen to you. Well, I'm here to say I thought that about myself.
But the reality is you can't.
YOU JUST CAN'T.
I spent a lot of time thinking about this today. I thought a lot about how one small insignificant text could change someone's life forever. FOREVER! (That is a really, really long time.)
I thought about all the dreams, plans, goals, and years ahead of my life with Lincoln. Not one single text is worth changing those dreams forever. I made him promise me today that we will never text and drive again. It's simply not worth it. I want him here for those dreams I have for us. I want him here for 70 more years.
Whether it be my life, his life, your life, or somebody's mom, dad, sister, brother, or best friend.
Don't you want the same thing?
I ask you to think about this. I ask you to stop texting while driving.
I also invite you to read the synopsis of today's show and to beg everyone you know to also read it.
Please, please, please stop this obsession. It is something that is 100% avoidable.
So far 25,150 people have pledged on her site to put an end to distracted driving.
Today I am taking the pledge.
Will you?
12 comments:
yes!!! i will gladly take the pledge. seriously, im so glad you wrote that. it really opened up my eyes. i always text and drive. and always think i'll be just fine. but then end up swirving or doing something stupid and thinking, woah, that was close. i love that you wrote all that. really made me realize that it is soooo dumb and i am never doing it again. and about what you said concerning your future with lincoln, ahhh i cant even imagine...on a brighter note..
thanks for following!! i was so excited, and thanks for all your love on my blog! you are the cutest. made my day. you can seriously borrow my wedding dress if you dont already have one..i hated the hunt, very hard to find a good one in utah. hope you have a fabulous day!
loves!
britt
ps, your style is better than mine!:)
When my husband and I first met I used to text him while driving all the time. I'm ashamed to admit that.
While texting has never caused me to be in a car accident, I know that I'm not as good of a driver when I do it.
I'm taking the pledge today. No more texting while driving.
Thanks for bringing this to light lady.
Oh dear.
Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.
Yes. It's so true, one little text could change someone's life forever. How awful to be that person that did that.
I will take the pledge too!!!
I am ashamed to admit I was totally texting on my way home tonight. I don't do it too often, but I suppose any time is too often isn't it?
What you said about wanting to have Lincoln here the next 70 years totally struck a chord with me... I wouldn't ever want my future husband taken away because of a text message or take any one else's loved one away to text something that can always wait.
Thanks for the reminder of how life changing and terrible it really is to text and drive!
Heather and I almost got into a head on collision because of a girl who was texting while driving who unknowingly drifted into oncoming traffic (aka our lane). She looked up seconds before colliding with our car and quickly corrected herself, but then she went right on texting. It is completely stupid and reckless. I pledged then and do so again now.
what a nice reminder! yes, i too will take the pledge to not text and drive. because honestly, a text is never THAT important.
last year in my public speaking class, a kid devoted a whole speech to this, and i'm not going to lie...it opened my eyes too!!! i have made SUCH a dilligent effort since to keep the phone away. usually i'll put it in my purse so i can't look for it anyway.
ps. are you just as sad about Oprah leaving in '11 as I am??
I never understood why anyone in the world would text and drive. It's one of the stupidest things you could do! I'm taking the pledge!
I see people doing this EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. It so annoys me. Mostly because my children, who are my most precious gifts, are driving around on the same streets as they are.
Craig and I have talked with our kids until we are blue in the face about this very subject...however, I know they still do it sometimes. What is it going to take??
I remember getting in a car accident a few years ago and the first thing the police man asked me was if I was texting. (which I wasn't)PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE...take the pledge.TODAY.
I totally agree! I am scared when my friends text and drive but I feel bad saying something, but how horrible would that be to kill someone else, because you were responding to a stupid mundane text message... it's not worth it!
Thanks for raising awareness of this, hopefully oprah's message struck a chord with people!
-joce
I saw some of this on Oprah and I saw one awhile back on Tyra that was very similar.... it is amazing really. I never text anyways, and rarely talk on the phone even when driving so I take the pledge :)
i don't think i've ever commented before but i just wanted to say THANK YOU for this post. this is a very serious issue that people seem to talk about a lot but not take responsibility for. what's at stake here is not just your livelihood, but someone else's. texting and driving is not just stupid, it's selfish.
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