By Gary Huerta – Published: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 10:12 PM PDT
Creative Commons
I’d like you to meet a few great kids in your community. They’re the ones in my life.
Mia, 14, is just beginning high school. She’s a bright, creative girl with aspirations of becoming a costume designer in the motion picture industry.
Sam, 12, has just started junior high. His immediate plans are to join the football team and impress the world with his mad skateboarding skills.
Alex, 12, is going into seventh grade with great academic potential, and a love and curiosity of science, wildlife and girls.
Zoe, 8, is a typical inquisitive third-grader. She’s energetic, eager to learn, loves to swim and has millions of dreams she wants to come true when she grows up.
As school gets underway in the next two weeks, thousands of kids like mine will flood the streets of our community. Next time you’re behind the wheel of your car and decide to send a text, think about their young lives for a moment — and how being distracted for that moment could change a life like theirs, forever.
Aside from it being illegal, research indicates, texting while driving may be as dangerous and lethal as drunken driving. A Virginia Tech study revealed that you are 23 times more at risk of a “crash or near crash event” if you are texting. Those are real numbers to consider next time you tweet “I love donuts!” at 65 mph.
Still think you can text and drive? You’re not alone. A poll by AAA revealed 95% of drivers admit texting while driving is dangerous, yet 21% have still done it recently. That sort of bravado may be what compelled the actions of the Metrolink engineer whose texting may have contributed to the 2008 Chatsworth train accident. Tragically, 25 people died in that crash.
The issue of texting while driving is a global one. It led law enforcement officials in the South Wales county of Gwent to post a controversial public service announcement on YouTube. It has been criticized as being an offensive, overly graphic depiction of an accident caused by a distracted texting driver. I’ll post a link on the Crescenta Valley community blog so you can decide for yourself.
Personally, I believe the real obscenity is that the fine for texting and driving is a minuscule $20 for the first offense and $50 for subsequent convictions. You don’t even get a point on your driving record.
Texting drivers are as much a threat as drinking drivers. They kill people — many of whom are innocent bystanders with dreams and loved ones who will miss them forever. So why are the laws regarding texting and driving so soft? I don’t have the answer. Knowing democracy, I’m guessing lobbyists for the telecommunications industry spread some money around Sacramento and watered down the laws. After all, bigger penalties would actually change peoples’ texting habits and that would result in smaller profits for the phone companies. Most likely it’s going to take more human sacrifice and blood on the highway before officials really get serious about it.
In the meantime, you might ask yourself, “Is there anything we can do to discourage people from texting while driving?” Because I’m an anarchist by nature, I’m encouraging everyone to become revolutionaries in the cause.
For starters, I’ve given my kids authority to voice their negative opinion of any adult they see texting while driving. They are allowed to taunt them, mock them and call them out. My goal is to let texting drivers know Crescenta Valley does not approve. If that makes them angry, too bad. The public ridicule could keep them from getting a ticket or hurting someone we know and love.
The other positive is teaching kids to speak out against acts that are illegal and dangerous empowers them. I think that’s a good lesson as they head back to school.
Until next week.
Times Community News
Gary Huerta
I wanted to post this comment from a reader in Indiana. I think it reinforces the devastating impact texting and driving really has:
Mr. Huerta,
I just read your article about texting and driving. My husband, George “Terry” Rossman, was killed July 10, 2008 in a car “accident.” I use that word loosely because Terry’s death was preventable. He was killed by two bad drivers: one was speeding, tailgating, and checking a message on his Blackberry; the other was on medication and not up to the task of driving. They, and plenty more like them, are on the roads every day.
I sued both drivers AND the employer who provided the texter with a cell phone. I just settled the lawsuit. One way to get the message to drivers to stay off their communication devices is to take them to court. Eventually, the insurance industry will get behind passing laws banning use of communication devices. Eventually, employers will issue cell phones with the caveat that the employee may not use it while driving. (The sued employer already has changed its policy regarding cellphone use.) As far as I know, neither driver was cited for anything. I live in Indiana, which recently passed a law applying only to teenagers. Anarchy will get us nowhere: laws will.
Terry’s loss has been devastating to his family and friends. His memorial website is here:
http://www.soensdesign.com/georgerossman/
Thank you for taking the time to write your column on this issue.
Regards,
Kathleen Soens
I don’t know If I said it already but …Cool site, love the info. I do a lot of research online on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say I’m glad I found your blog. Thanks,
A definite great read..Tony Brown