Last summer I wrote about our experience with a crash involving distracted driving. As a refresher, teens were in the car, which was going far too quickly through our housing development and crashed while trying to take a curve. The car went airborne through several yards, including ours. My daughter knew some of the kids involved in the accident and I am thankful that she was home at the time, instead of in the car with them.
Talk About Distracted Driving With Your Kids
Because of the dangers that distracted driving can cause to those in the car as well as those around, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Auto Alliance want to increase awareness about the risks of distracted driving. Knowledge is power and the Decide to Drive program aims to empower drivers and passengers to speak up about distracted driving. This should be a conversation that everyone is comfortable starting whether at home or work. Conversations and awareness are what can significantly lessen distracted behaviors behind the wheel.
Since the car crash, we have had many conversations about distracted driving with our daughter. She had a permit at the time but now she is a licensed driver and her safety means more to us than anything else in the world. Because of this, we always try to keep the lines of communication open. We want her to know that she can call us anytime she feels that she is in a situation that might be dangerous. Kids need to know that they can ask for help.
Distracted Driving Statistics
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.
This is scary. Orthopaedic surgeons {bone specialists} don’t want to put bones back together after a crash. They want you safe, too.If all drivers “Decide To Drive” each time they get in the car then perhaps we everyone could keep their bones and limbs intact.
As the driver of a vehicle, you are the person responsible for keeping yourself, those in the car, and those around you safe. That’s a job that you should take seriously, and something that you should stress to your teens. Remember, you lead by example. Tell your teens to keep their attention and eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel at all times.
It could save a life.
Decide to Drive Catchphrase Contest
The Decide To Drive Catchphrase Contest will run May 30 – June 13, 2014. I will add more info to this post about it closer to the start date.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Teen driving is so perilous. Untrained, and now in this age, distracted. Drivers Ed and a level head can go a long way!
Yikes! That picture is so scary. I bet it was definitely an eye opener. It’s hard not to be a distracted driver as a mom, but I do my best to keep focused.
My stepson is in drivers ed right now and it’s really scary to think that kids are out on the roads – they almost don’t seem mature enough.
That scary picture is necessary to illustrate what can happen. We were recently in LA with someone who was looking at her phone too much while driving. People just don;t get it, but I thank-you for the reminder!
Mitch
I know that parts of South Carolina now have laws against distracted driving (no texting/talking on your phone, even messing with your GPS violates their laws.) North Carolina has laws against texting, but did you realize that doing Facebook or Twitter on your phone while driving wasn’t part of that law? (I don’t know if that’s the case now.) It’s pretty scary, and I hope teens will take this seriously. Distracted driving is so dangerous!!
Wow! I did not know that about the North Carolina laws {and I love there}. It would be interesting to see if that is still the case.
A boy in our tiny town was killed in the wee hours of May 10. The photos of the car are horrific. Cody died immediately. The boy in the back is due to go home any day now. The driver? Likely to lose his legs. His legs were bent and his bones were sticking out when they found him. Hopefully it helps remind other kids that driving distracted is never ever worth it 🙁
Such an important topic to cover…for teens and older drivers.
I see more and more adults that could use a talk about this too. More and more places are banning texting and driving. It’s a conversation that needs to be had.
You are correct. It is not just teens. I used to work with someone that texted the entire time she drove. It was terrifying.
Distracted driving is a scary thing. I was a victim of a distracted driver earlier this year and it was by far the worst experience I have ever been in. Its so scary and I wish that more people took it seriously.
I hope that you are doing much better now. I am sorry for your experience.
I was just thinking today about how scary driving can be as a teen. I hope that I can instill a fear/understanding in my kids about staying focused. All we can do is raise responsible children!
People sometimes don’t realize they’re basically driving a several ton weapon that can hurt and kill people in the blink of an eye and the blink of an eye is all it takes for something major to happen. Education is they key to help cutting down on these types of accidents!
What an awful looking car crash! It’s so easy to get distracted, for teens and adults, everyone has to stay alert.
Thank you for talking about this important topic! My teen is learning how to drive now. I have to admit it’s freaking me out, esp since he’s in college so he will do most of his driving in another state. Will be saying a lot of prayers that’s for sure!
Oh I feel for you. My daughter just got her permit last year, but she was hear at home, at least, so we could try to keep an eye on her. I couldn’t imagine how I would have felt if she was in another state.
I think kids take driving responsibly in some ways, and not so much in others. I wish they had mandatory classes for driver’s ed. that showed the consequences of not paying attention at all times to the road. I love the idea of kids putting their phone in the trunk while driving, BUT do they do that when you’re not with them?? I’m thinking probably nuh uh.
I think that this is so important. Not just for kids and teen drivers but the number of adults that I see on their phones is ridiculous!
Oh my goodness. That’s crazy that that car flipped like that where they should have only been going 25 miles per hour. I see so many distracted drivers where I live. I give people the ugly stare when I see them driving and texting. I can’t stand it.
We recently drove past a police officer while he was driving and texting. I was dumbfounded. I’ve got ten years before my oldest drives, if we let him at 16. Judging from his personality, we’ll let him get a permit. His sister, though? Oh my, are we in for it.
My oldest is 18 and got his license last year. I worry all the time, and constantly remind him.
With everyone on the cell phones all the time, there are a lot more distracted drivers. It can get pretty scary out there driving.
This is so scary to me. In an instant, a teenager’s life can change forever. I even need to be careful about distracted driving.
What a sobering reminder! This is something that adults could remember too!
In high school, I was a part of SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving). We did a presentation every year in the football field that involved us being in a crash and the local fire dept came to try to rescue us. Some of us “didn’t make it”. It’s a huge thing to see that. I think they should do something similar now for Distracted Driving.
One definitely leads by example. It always helps to remember that not just around teens but even little ones too.
I’m glad you are bringing this up again. This topic is important at all times. We all need to concentrate on driving and be fully aware of situation. We all will make mistakes, but really take responsibility for your driving. I am tired of seeing people text while driving…so many deaths and wrecks. I tried to teach my kids to drive defensively.
Those are some scary pictures! Unfortunately, teens aren’t the only ones that succumb to distracted driving. I like the idea of this pledge and promise to take it myself.
Those pics are so scary! I’ve had to remind myself that there is nothing that can come through on my phone while I”m driving that would be worth getting into an accident over.
Ugh, that picture makes me sick. So important for teens and adults to know this!
It’s really scary and new drivers just don’t have the maturity to be able to block things out. We had our kids drive without friends for a long time after they were newly licensed.
since i have a driver in my house we are always talking about distracted driving. It’s scary the outcome of a few moments looking at a phone or radio dial
Oh my goodness! I can’t believe that happened so close to home! Such a great reminder to us all!
This exact thing happened to our home. Four teenagers totally flipped the vehicle. I think there was alcohol involved. Luckily, they all walked away without a scratch, but our yard was torn up and somehow neither them, not their parents, felt it was their problem to fix the damage, claiming the “trees were like that before.” Aggravating!
That sounds about the way the people who wrecked in our yard did. So we went through the insurance company and they paid to fix our yard and our culvert that they messed up.
I hate to hear of car accidents, especially ones that could have been avoided had the driver been paying adequate attention! That seems to happen a lot more with teens, doesn’t it? I’m glad that your daughter wasn’t in that car!
That looks like a scary accident, I hope the kids in the car where all ok. Glad your daughter was home at the time. Such an important topic!
It’s a reminder we all could use. We always have our electronic leashes and more and more people feel like they can’t pull away – even when driving.
I’ve gotten much better with this. Putting my phone in the back seat helps me. If it’s not in my face, it’s too easy to get too.