Needed Technology to Stop Talk and Text While Driving

When I was 16 years old and learning how to drive, I attended a driver education school. They partner with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and are certified to give the Pennsylvania drivers exam.

After attending the school, I feel that everyone who wants to get a driver license should be required to attend a driver education course. By learning the proper driving techniques, safe and defensive driving, traffic laws, etc., I believe the new driver will be a safer driver and help to reduce the number of driving incidents and deaths.

I do not feel that parents, relatives, or friends provide adequate education or training for new drivers. These individuals may not be good drivers themselves and may not realize the areas where the new driver is inadequate. Their bad habits and unsafe driving practices may be passed on to the new driver. I also think they may overlook the students’ unsafe driving habits.

When I was younger, I was in a car accident with my mom on our way home from Boy Scouts. A teenage girl hit my mom. The girl that hit her was speeding and texting on her phone. Fortunately, I did not get hurt, but my mom received numerous serious injuries and required multiple brain surgeries. On that night my life and my mom’s life changed forever.

As a result of the accident, my mom can no longer work or do a lot of the things she previously did. She is in constant agony. I help my parents wherever and whenever I can, but I wish there was something I could do to help alleviate some of her pain.

Now I am a strong proponent of no texting or talking on the cellphone while driving. I feel that all cellphones should be made inoperable when driving. The cellphone should detect when the car is in motion and not allow the driver to talk or text while driving. It’s dangerous for any driver, but I feel it is even worse for inexperienced, new drivers.

I understand the driver has the option to silence notifications on their cellphone when driving; however, I feel that you should automatically be prohibited from texting or talking while the vehicle is in motion except for 911 emergencies. Vehicles equipped with GPS do not allow the driver or passenger to modify the GPS directions while the vehicle is in motion. If car manufacturers are capable of programming this type of feature for GPS, cellphone manufacturers should be able to implement an automatic feature on the phone to prohibit drivers from texting or talking while the vehicle is in motion. Perhaps legislation could be passed to make this a requirement for all cellphones.

While at college one night on our way back to campus, two of my friends were in a very bad car accident. We were driving on a road that we were unfamiliar with. I was in front of them, and they were further behind me. They never saw me stop at the stop sign and he accidentally drove through it. My friend was broadsided. The car flipped and landed in a corn field. I heard the loud crash and saw the car flip in my rearview mirror.

The car was completely totaled. My friends both had to go to the emergency room but were very lucky to walk away from the accident with only a few non-life-threatening injuries. I still have PTSD from the accident with my mom and seeing his accident was very traumatic for me. My friend’s accident has had a significant impact on him and he has been a more cautious driver since his accident.

Friends who ride in the car with me always commend me on how safe I drive. I do not text or talk on my phone while driving. I silence my notifications and if I need to make a call, I make sure to pull over somewhere safe to make the call or send a text message. I also make sure to watch my speed. I hope my friends can learn from my example and do the same when they are driving.

As a college student, it is common for some of the students to go to parties. I do not drink alcohol but know some classmates who go to parties. I encourage my friends to not drink and drive. I also urge them to call me if they need a ride to their apartment or dorm.

In closing, I hope that legislation can be passed that would require cellphone manufacturers to implement the technology to automatically disable talking and texting on cellphones while driving. By putting this into operation, I have confidence that there would be a significant reduction in the number of driving incidents and deaths.