Saturday, November 21, 2009

Killer Texting

I plead guilty. Yes, I have texted in my car before. I know I shouldn't be texting in the car and I know it's dangerous. You just do it, and I know many of you do it too. Even though it's forbidden in our country, I see all drivers around me using their cell phone or text a message while driving. I mostly text when I'm sitting in front of a red light and sometimes while I'm on the highway.
I watched a Dr Phil show on Killer Texting and I was truly shocked.. If you are sending text messages in your car, your control of your vehicle goes down 95%! Your ability to react when someone hits the break in front of you or when a child crosses the road, goes down by 35% if you're driving and texting at the same time.
It's over. I'm not texting and driving ever again. Really. I saw the testimonial of a mom, whose daughter was instantly killed by a young driver, who ran a red light because he was paying attention to his cell phone rather than realizing he was driving his car. A killer car, it soon turned out to be. Because that's exactly what happened: it took no more than a few seconds, to run the red light, hit the uncoming car with an innocent and correct driver, killing her right there at the spot.. What a waste of life..
The mother of this beautiful young student, has started a campaign. It's called Hang up - Save a life. The poster shows a picture of her gorgeous daughter, that is no longer amongst us, because of the silly idea that we need to text and drive. Not one text can be that important, that it can't wait until we have stopped the car to read or reply. It's a shame how many lives have been ruined so far because of accidents caused by texting while doing other things like driving, cooking, riding your bike, crossing the road..

So I have made a decision and that's what I'm going to teach my children too. I hope you will reconsider as well.


4 comments:

Unknown said...

proficiat met deze beslissing.

www.kokenenhogehakken.blogspot.be said...

noemen ze dat volwassen worden?

Upje said...

Ik heb het één keer geprobeerd, een sms te sturen als ik aan het rode licht stond, en ik schrok al hoe hard je zelfs dán bent afgeleid. Toen heb ik al meteen besloten dat nooit meer te doen. Bellen zou ik sowieso al helemaal niet in mijn hoofd halen, tenzij handsfree.

Je merkt het ALTIJD als iemand aan het bellen of smssen is aan het stuur. Plots blijven die niet meer in hun vak, of doen ze de raarste dingen achter het stuur.

Ik ben dus tegen ... en eigenlijk altijd al geweest ;).

www.kokenenhogehakken.blogspot.be said...

Slim gezien van jou, Up. Ik ben nog aan 't leren hè.