We've heard this all before. We've seen the commercials and we've heard the tragic stories of families who've said goodbye too soon to loved ones all because of a simple text message.
But did you know that by putting away your phone or other electronic device while driving you're helping to save thousands of lives and prevent hundreds of thousands of injuries due to distracted driving per year?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), of the nearly 33,000 roadway fatalities in 2012, there were 3,328 fatalities and approximately 421,000 injuries in distracted driving-related crashes.
It was around the time that I gave birth to our first baby back in 2010 that I wised up and decided to make my car a "no phone zone." Prior to that I was among the many men and women who didn't think twice about sending a text message to a friend. Who didn't think twice about taking their eyes off of the road to send a simple "LOL" or "Let's meet for lunch."
Did I ever cross a double yellow line in doing so? Maybe drive over those rumble strips and skirt a little too close for comfort to a concrete divider? Yes, I have. I've done both of those things and am truly embarrassed to admit it.
Were the text messages I was so engrossed in sending important? No. Were they stupid and selfish? Absolutely.
In doing so, I was shamelessly putting not only my life at risk but the lives of other drivers around me. Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers. Grandmas and Grandpas. Innocent drivers and bystanders.
Unfortunately, it took the birth of my first son to make me understand how precious life is. As soon as his tiny body was tucked into that car seat for our inaugural ride home from the hospital as a brand new family of 3, I made the decision that no text message was worth taking a life, especially the life of my brand new baby boy.
Since that day in 2010, I made a commitment to myself and my family to never put them in danger of distracted driving while riding in the car. As soon as our now three boys are tucked safely into their car seats, my purse or diaper bag, along with my phone, is tossed into the back seat of the car, out of my reach, dismissing any temptation I may have to grab my phone and text while driving.
Do I sometimes forget and falter, accidentally climbing into the front seat with my phone? Of course I do, after all, I'm only human. But one glance in my rear view mirror, one look at those sweet, smiling innocent faces staring back at me, and I'm immediately reminded how precious life is and how quickly it can be taken for granted with one simple mistake.
After all, the most advanced safety feature of any vehicle is the driver. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the specialists who put bones and limbs back together after road crashes and traumas, and the Auto Alliance urges all drivers to keep their most sophisticated safety features engaged at all times: eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
In an effort to bring to light the dangers of distracted driving, the AAOS and Auto Alliance have rolled out a pretty awesome Decide to Drive Campaign and Catchphrase Contest. The contest will run May 30-June 13, 2014 and additional information can be found on their website.
The Decide to Drive program is unique in that it aims to empower drivers and passengers to speak up about distracted driving, continue the conversation at home, work and play, and reduce distracted behaviors behind the wheel.
Be honest, what was the last text message you sent while driving? Did you think about how those words could be your last or worse, the cause of someone else's tragedy? I encourage you to put down the distractions and decide to drive, if not today then make the decision to change your habits tomorrow.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
No text message is worth taking a life.
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