Texting and driving has become a major problem today. Not only with teens, but adults as well. When driving down the street or even the highway, you can glance over and usually see a decent amount of people on their phones. Texting and driving is six times more deadly than drinking and driving according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Texting and driving replaced drinking and driving and is now the leading cause of death among teenagers.

In 2013, a total of 3,154 people were killed and 424,000 were injured do to drivers using their cell phones. The sad reality is that these accidents are creating pay checks. Towing companies would be out of business if cars didn't crash and texting and driving is a leading cause of accidents. My father owns a small towing company and witnesses multiple accidents every month due to texting and driving, and it's sadly keeping his business open.

Fines for texting and driving can be from $20-$500 depending on the state. Jail or prison time is another penalty if the accident resulted in bodily harm. Along with jail time the driver can have their license revoked, receive points on their driving record, and take mandatory road safety classes. It would save everyone time, money, and it would be safer if people just left their phones alone.

Not only is texting and driving dangerous for the driver but even more so for the other people on the road. One glance at your phone can be deadly. What happens if you hit a car with a mother and child in it? Is jail time worth the "Lol" you were typing out to your best friend? Even talking on the phone can be dangerous, it causes you to focus more on the phone in your hand rather than the road.

To keep yourself from even looking at your phone, throw it in the back seat. You can buy bluetooth devices that plug into the car and connect to your phone to play music. Your parents won't care if you don't answer right away telling them where you are. So many kids make excuses for texting and driving and won't day it's going to hurt them or someone else and that's a mistake that can never be taken back.

There should be no excuse for putting yours or someone else's life at risk.