? But, those darn things mean the rest of us need to use extra care when driving with or near them. See, I was talking to a group of high schoolers about some simple skills they could use to avoid crashing their cars. Crashing your car can be a real hassle, and of course young drivers have a particular penchant for this activity. So, I figured they'd appreciate some advice. I also figured I'd use the opportunity to investigate their impressions regarding a particularly vexing driver distraction- that darn texting.
Well, they were quite clear and confident about the dangers regarding this activity. They told me in no uncertain terms that I was putting myself in danger on the road by texting (I'm old, you see). They, on the other hand were not? Why not? It' simple, right? They've been texting all their young lives. Shoot, they've had years of experience at texting and,,,, well, several hours of experience operating an internal combustion vehicle in traffic. Heck, they told me that they hardly have to look at all at that tiny screen and keyboard so that most of their time can be spent almost fully engaged in the equally simple task of driving. I gotta tell you- this was not an isolated opinion, but one repeated to me at multiple schools.
OK so, today's driver safety advice: WATCH OUT. Keep your eyes on that car that's zipping along at you in the opposite lane, or coming up behind you at the traffic light. Wait till they've gone past of stopped before you take the next drink of your coffee or turn to look at your kids in the back seat. Give yourself every second to observe these expert textpert drivers in case they swerve in to your lane or look like they're not going to stop before plowing in to your posterior.
So, the two bits of advice here- 1. limit your own driving distractions at least when others are approaching, and 2. if you're the parents of soon-to-be drivers, perhaps the texting issue should be a more serious part of your parent/teen driving contract.
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