Texting and Driving

Can anyone really ever say they have NEVER texted while driving....or read a text while driving?  Okay, those who do not have cell phones can say they never have.  Those who do not have text messaging on their cell phones can say they never have...but for the rest of us....we would have to answer that question with "yes." 

My friend and I did an experiment the other day.  I do not recommend it but I went out on a road with no traffic so if I caused a car accident we would have been the only ones hurt.

I marked off a three mile stretch...there were a few curves (not sharp curves) that I was testing my theory on.  When I approached my beginning mark I opened a text message on my phone that said, "You are an idiot for doing this."  Now go back and time yourself on how long it took you to read that phrase.  I took me about 10 seconds to get to the text message app on my phone, three seconds to read it and two seconds to place the phone back down.  In that time I went about 130 yards, crossed the white line seven times and almost missed a small curve.

Now, I tested it with a response to the text message.  My friend texted me at the starting point and opened the text and read "are we really doing this?"  I responded back with "yes."  This time I went over 200 yards, crossed into the OTHER LANE once, crossed the white line 14 times and hit the dirt on the outside of the road three times. 

Okay, no one was hurt...
No one else was on the road...
I only text and drive when it's "safe"...

Here's the thing...texting and driving is only safe when YOU are the only factor.  It reminds me of driving on icy roads...I know how to do it but not everyone on the road does.  What if on one of the times I drove on the dirt on the outside of the road a child riding a bike rode up at that same time?  What if one of the times I crossed the white line a deer ran out in front of my car?  What if the one time I ended up in the other lane a car was waiting at the stop sign and turned right into me? 

The fact is WE NEVER KNOW what other factors are out there waiting to impact our lives.  What other factors are out there that our texting and driving can impact their lives?

The simple TRUTH is JUST DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE.  We lived MANY, MANY, MANY years without the technology of texting and no life will ever change by WAITING until you are stopped to return a text message but many lives WILL CHANGE if you try to beat the odds by texting and driving and causing an accident.  It will change YOUR life if you cause an accident and are charged and convicted of homicide.  Don't let this happen to you or someone you love...watch this video.