Getting the word out on texting's dangers - 0 views

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  #1 gwenbroadway on 01 May 13

   

  "I shut off my phone and throw it in the glove box," she says, "because I don't want to be tempted to use it."
  
  Pariseau, a 19-year-old student at State College of Florida, knows people who have been killed in accidents caused by distracted drivers. She's glad the Florida Legislature is finally considering a law against texting and driving.
  
  As a member of SADD - Students Against Destructive Decisions - she scolds any and all reckless drivers.
  
  "I know I'm being annoying, but I really can't let it go," Periseau says. "My dad's an excellent driver, but he still texts, and I'm like, 'C'mon.' I tell him I'm the designated texter, just like a designated driver."
  
  The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reports that in 2011 more than 3,000 Americans were killed and 300,000 injured in accidents involving distracted drivers.
  
  Drivers are 23 times more likely to crash if they text and drive.
  
  The agency considers texting the most alarming distraction because it involves visual, manual and cognitive attention. The youngest and least experienced drivers are most at risk.
  
  Today, it's common to see drivers of all ages glancing down to thumb messages on their phones. Warning people about the practice has even become a texting acronym.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">"I shut off my phone and throw it in the glove box," she says, "because I don't want to be tempted to use it." <br /> <br /> Pariseau, a 19-year-old student at State College of Florida, knows people who have been killed in accidents caused by distracted drivers. She's glad the Florida Legislature is finally considering a law against texting and driving. <br /> <br /> As a member of SADD - Students Against Destructive Decisions - she scolds any and all reckless drivers. <br /> <br /> "I know I'm being annoying, but I really can't let it go," Periseau says. "My dad's an excellent driver, but he still texts, and I'm like, 'C'mon.' I tell him I'm the designated texter, just like a designated driver." <br /> <br /> The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reports that in 2011 more than 3,000 Americans were killed and 300,000 injured in accidents involving distracted drivers. <br /> <br /> Drivers are 23 times more likely to crash if they text and drive. <br /> <br /> The agency considers texting the most alarming distraction because it involves visual, manual and cognitive attention. The youngest and least experienced drivers are most at risk. <br /> <br /> Today, it's common to see drivers of all ages glancing down to thumb messages on their phones. Warning people about the practice has even become a texting acronym.</div>

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