Drivers education

You can tell when someone is texting and driving because they are usually looking down, they are swerving, sitting at lights after the light has changed to green, running lights, or about to cause an accident. There was an original anti-texting law, but it was hard to enforce because you could not tell if someone was texting, making a phone call, or what they were doing on the phone, so it was hard to prove. I pledge to not text and drive because first and foremost because it is against the law to do so, thanks to Georgia’s House Bill 673 also known as the Hands-Free law. The House Bill 673 is better than the anti-texting law. After all, now you can enforce the law because you will get a ticket for looking at your phone, holding your phone in your hand, touching the phone, or even using any body part as a support for your phone while driving. The ticket fines start small but eventually, it adds up especially if you are a repeat offender. The first conviction is $50 and one point against your license. The second conviction is $100 with 2 points against your license. Any third or subsequent convictions are $150 and three-point against your license. The House Bill 673 is by far not the best law ever and still has many flaws, but if it helps with some of the accidents and deaths caused by interacting with your cellphone then it has done its job. I have not heard a lot about people getting tickets anymore with this bill plus I see a lot of people on your phones and texting now while driving. Not only is it against the law but it is not safe because you can cause an accident and it causes death. Being a new Georgia driver, I will not be texting and driving because you really must focus and drive for yourself and for the other drivers too, but I do get distracted behind the wheel as do many other new and even experienced drivers. One of my distractions is wanting to look at my phone. We are the generation that is glued to our cellphones as many people would say. Even though I have it on vibrate and not sound I can feel that vibration and depend on where the phone is located, I can hear the vibration and it makes me want to look at my phone each time. Also, it is unsafe to just be on your phone while driving because we get so involved in what we are doing on the phone that it distracts us and causes accidents and even death. It is so hard though when you are sitting at a light and not moving to look at it. But I may just need to put it on silent when driving or even hide my phone and that will make me not want to look at it if I cannot hear it or feel it. Or I can make all calls and respond to all texts before I drive or after I am done driving. And if I feel like it may be an emergency then I could also just pull over somewhere safe to look at it. Most newer cars are hands-free, Blue tooth ready and/or voice-activated, and I can make a call, hear, and see who texted you, and listen to the text message without even touching my phone. If your car does not have this newer technology, then you can purchase a Bluetooth earpiece, or many local and online retailers sell Bluetooth hands-free car kits you can purchase. There are some apps and services that notify people when they text or call that you or driving or also while the car is in motion it will lock down the phone. While investigating this I discovered an app called Down for the Count that pays you to drive safely, that is cool I need to check it out myself. If you know you are addicted to your phone, then maybe you do not need to drive or get a chauffeur or a designated driver. Better yet, you can have a designated friend ride with you, and you can have them respond to the texts and answer calls while you drive. The only way I know to get this information out to other drivers like myself is to post it on social media because young adults are all on those platforms. And adults are too so it will be giving the information to everyone all at once.