We all know it is a bad idea to text while driving. And
let’s admit it … most of us do it still. Perhaps we do a quick glance at the
screen, or type and drive, or text back at the stoplight. But at one point or
another I would guess we’ve ALL texted while operating our car. A while back, I am embarrassed to admit that even my 6-year-old was more astute than I when she asked, "Mommy, how can you type on your phone and drive?" THAT was humbling and eye-opening.
Then, a few months ago a friend of mine convicted me to stop doing
it after telling me of a story of a mom texting, looking up to see a car right
in front of her and swerving the wrong way, into traffic and killing her
toddler. That was enough to remind me to stop the quick looks, quick texts and
what not. But it got me thinking. First off I will admit, I am not perfect at
my conviction and I am reconvicting myself to become perfect at it … for the
safety of anyone in my car.
Second, this is not a guilt you story to get you to stop
texting and driving. Other than that story above, I have (thank GOD) no awful
texting stories to share. But this is a promise to my friends and a request
firstly to all those who drive my kids around and then to anyone else reading.
With the school year in full swing, so too comes carpool
mania. We trust our friends to transport our very most precious gifts nearly
everywhere around town. I’ve had numerous conversations with friends about how
particular we are about letting people drive our children around. We fret over
what they might listen to in the car, what other moms allow as conversation
topics on the ride home, whether or not they can sit in a booster or a
five-point harness. We make sure we know the families well before we allow our
kids in their cars.
But, with knowing them well, also comes our knowledge that
they too text. In fact, we’ve probably spent lots of time texting back and
forth throughout the day, weeks and years of our friendships.
After diving into carpooling with some activities over the
summer, and my friend’s story of her friend’s friend … I got to wondering … do
my friends text and drive? You know, it’s the one conversation that we really
don’t have with our friends. It’s something that most of us would NEVER admit
that we do. Worse yet … Do they
text and drive when my kids are riding in their car? And, have I texted and
drove while driving their kids?
I mentioned this quandary to another friend and she’s been
encouraging me to write this blog for the last couple of months ever since.
Again, we don’t ask this question to our friend, who we
trust has good content for our little ears in her car and safe seats. But are
our driving practices the safest that they should be? That thought honestly
makes me shudder … because I partake in a lot of car pools with those I trust.
Those of us on the “conservative side” I would guess refrain
from texting and driving … but probably text while at stoplights. But think
about this … if the city of Orlando thinks that it’s a big enough problem to
put up signs posting fines for people running stoplights … is it really a good
idea to be distracted at those when they turn green?
And as already mentioned … quick glances while driving can
lead to bad knee-jerk reactions while the car is in motion.
The best people that I’ve seen practice safe driving with
cellular devices honestly has been my teenage Girl Scouts. Who reminded me not
to look at my phone, even if I was only driving 10 mph in the campground. Their
parents make them put their phones in their purse, in the trunk of the car.
Which is brilliant. I probably won’t go that far with my own phone, but I am
promising that I will have it not in eyesight while driving so as I don’t see
the text pop up and be tempted to glance over and less tempted to reply at a
stoplight.
My promise to my friends is that I will not in any way,
shape or form, text while driving. And those who see me around town, you can
hold me to that. And I ask you to do the same, for the safety of all of our
kids.
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