Sound Off: Is Texting and Driving the New Drinking and Driving?

Texting has become more popular over the years. Calls? Emails? Nope… when you need to get a message out to someone immediately, texting is the way to go! But texting can actually be extremely hazardous. You might be thinking: “How can pushing a couple of buttons be so unsafe?” But when you’re texting while driving, it’s another story.

A 2007 study by Students Against Destructive Decisions revealed that texting while driving is the biggest distraction for teen drivers, meaning that texting and driving inhibits more drivers’ abilities than even drinking and driving. But there are still many who do not comprehend the dangers of texting and driving.

My good friend’s cousin was hit by a car in Toronto by a man who was texting and driving. He was crossing the street and got hit by a man who was texting and not paying attention to the road. Although the boy was not severely injured and was just knocked to the ground, it goes to show how distracted people who are texting can cause major accidents. Personally, I don’t understand why you would text and drive. At no point while you’re driving should you take your eyes off the road. There are rules around the world that do not allow you to even talk on the phone while driving, let alone text. Texting while driving is dangerous to other drivers an pedestrians.

In Canada, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland have already passed legislation prohibiting the use of hand-held cellphones while driving. Alberta and British Columbia are also considering province-wide bans on cellphones while driving.

In my opinion, this is a move in the right direction. There is a new, short video that was made in the United Kingdom that shows the effects of texting and driving in extremely graphic detail. In it, the teens driving get into a fatal accident as a result of texting while driving. It’s a very graphic clip and it may frighten some people, but will the video scare everyone into stopping this bad habit? I watched this clip, and I’ll admit, it did alarm me and it woke me up to the possible dangers.

Next time you’re in the car with someone and you see that they are texting and driving, speak up and tell them to stop texting and focus 100 per cent on driving. You never know, it might just save your life.