Warning: The above video is quite graphic, but that’s exactly the point.
When I’m driving and I see someone texting on their phone while driving, I feel a flash of anger. Why? Because that person is putting the safety of everyone around them at risk. And for what? So they can be in constant contact with their friends/family/work? Unless they’re a brain surgeon giving life-saving instructions via SMS to a trauma team as they drive to save someone’s life, they don’t need to be texting or checking their email. If it’s really that important, pull over for a few minutes and get your communication done. Phone calls are bad enough, but with a phone call your eyes are at least on the road – texting adds road-blindness into the mix, making for a lethal combination.
Texting while driving needs to become as socially reprehensible as driving drunk; people who do it need to be chastised and shamed by their peers and by the public.
I think we live in a culture where business people need to ‘hit the ball over the net’. Teens consider it rude not to reply immediately to texts. Home schedules would grind to a halt without immediate communication. We are conditioned to pursue this level of efficiency but we are all supposed cease this behavior once we sit in our respective 5,000 pound pieces of steel and glass. Anyone can win an argument in a forum like this by saying “Just put the phone away” – but we can see its just not happening.
I just read that 72% of teens text daily – many text more 4000 times a month. New college students no longer have email addresses! They use texting and Facebook – even with their professors. This text and drive issue is in its infancy and I think we need to do more than legislate.
I decided to do something about it after my three year old daughter was nearly run down right in front of me by a texting driver. Instead of a shackle that locks down phones and alienates the user (especially teens) I built a tool called OTTER that is a simple app for smartphones. I think if we can empower the individual then change will come to our highways now and not just our laws.
Erik Wood, owner
OTTER LLC
OTTER app