Every year in the United States alone, approximately half a million people are killed or injured in a texting-related motor vehicle crash. This is an overwhelming statistic, as driving is the most popular method of transportation. Drivers within the age range of 18 to 64 have confirmed that they have taken part in this form of distracted driving. You would think that with a statistic so large and so shocking, people would be aware of the dangers by this day in age. However, with the increase in technology, people have started to care less and less.
As a deputy sheriff for seven years and a vehicle operations instructor for the state of Florida, Lon Green has seen his fair share of traffic crashes. He has witnessed and responded to numerous traffic fatalities, as well as serious injuries from traffic incidents. He has been a first responder on many occasions and is baffled at how the statistics have not decreased.
I had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Green and really got a personal perspective on the seriousness of texting and driving. We both felt that it was absolutely bizarre how texting and driving is so publicized all the time, and people still do not stop texting while driving. People do not learn from stories or statistics. They don’t process the outcome of the situation until it happens to them, which is the sad and unfortunate truth.
Green stated, “The fundamentals of operating a motor vehicle are fairly basic, so that most people have the minimum physical capabilities to do so. However, I feel that once you place a distraction in the situation, such as a mobile device or anything that takes your concentration off of operating the motor vehicle, it instantly makes that driver dangerous. Once they stop concentrating on what they’re doing, that’s when they run into safety issues.”
It has been proven that texting while behind the wheel makes a crash 23 times more likely to occur. Modern technology has added to this statistic tremendously. Our society's need to constantly be informed and up-to-date plays a huge role in causing automobile accidents.
“Social media/modern technology’s influence has a huge impact on the basis of driving," Mr. Green stated. "It is safe to say vehicles have become safer, but it’s the drivers that have become more dangerous because of the technology available. The vehicles themselves have improved significantly with updated airbags, restraints, design, and even materials. The problem we have with technology is people bringing these new devices into the vehicles. That is what makes them dangerous. Our mobile devices and our need to know and send information as quickly as possible is a huge hindrance on our ability to concentrate on driving. There is no information that takes precedence that you have to get the information or respond to that text that is more important than driving safely.”
I asked Mr. Green if it ever got easier to respond to motor vehicle accidents. He responded, “The shock value got to be a lot less, because the first few times you see a human being severely injured is tough to comprehend. It is hard to see someone so injured, knowing that their life is going to be different from now on, or think about the family of the deceased. The comprehension of the lives of the families never changed. My perspective is that the lives of these people were severely altered because of the car crash and I knew it was going to be that way.”
The problem with texting and driving is that you can harm yourself as well as others. It is not just about you. People would rather text in a car than be safe in a vehicle. Technology has added a significant amount of harm to these statistics, but with society growing, it is almost unavoidable. However, learning to put the phone down is not. “My point is that a lot of drivers have enough problems operating a motor vehicle without distractions. When you introduce a distraction to their environment, it magnifies the driver’s ability to operate that vehicle in a safe manner," said Green.
The fact of the matter is that people need to learn to sacrifice a few minutes of being informed or updated to respect the safety of those around them. It truly is that simple. Please drive safely.
