Are You Texting & Driving?

Let's be honest: it's tempting to multitask when you're behind the wheel. You can eat a snack and change the radio station, for instance, but you can also interact with friends and loved ones by using your phone. The problem is that all of these activities are dangerous.

If we're all being honest, most of the people reading this have probably been guilty of distracted driving at some point. While it can seem innocent enough-and, at the time, it can be very convenient-these are little decisions that could prove to have fatal consequences.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2009 saw nearly 5,500 people lose their lives in collisions involving a distracted driver. Texting is especially at fault, as it requires the driver to completely divert their attention away from the road, but that doesn't mean that fiddling with the radio or even eating a snack is safe when you're behind the wheel. These are still all activities that take your attention away from the most important task at hand: driving. Worse, you put everyone in your car-and everyone else on the road-in danger when you're distracted.

The scary thing about all this is that as technology becomes increasingly important to everyday life, the temptation to multitask on the road only grows stronger-and, unless something is done, so will the death toll.
It's because of the severity of this problem that the NHTSA has launched the "Put It Down" campaign. The campaign is designed to inform motorists about the dangers of distracted driving, and it's built around four points:
Drivers simply can't do two things at once: This isn't just limited to texting-any kind of multitasking involves diverting one's attention away from the road ahead. According to a report from the National Safety Council, 28% of all traffic crashes are caused by people using their cell phones, either for texting or talking.

Everyone has a personal responsibility: Distracted driving is not just a personal danger-it can put everyone around you in harm's way.
Young drivers are especially at risk: Talking to friends, the stress of high school, applying for college-these are just some of the things that can lead teens to distraction, especially in the form of texting. According to the NHTSA, 21% of drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 who were involved in fatal crashes were distracted by cell phones.

Everyone is part of the solution: Since even one distracted driver puts everyone at risk, we all need to make the effort to stay focused on the road.
Fortunately, it's easy for you as an individual driver to have an effect on this problem: just don't use your cell phone while driving. You can help spread the word by signing the Texting and Driving Pledge and by encouraging your friends to do the same.

The pledge has three tenets:
1. Protect lives by never texting or talking on the phone while driving.
2. Be a good passenger; speak out if the driver in your car is distracted.
3. Encourage your friends and family to drive phone-free.

While being responsible for your own actions is very important, the real power of the pledge comes from raising awareness among family and friends. By signing the pledge, you'll be contributing to making the road safer, and that's something everyone can support.

As part of being committed to driving safely, drivers who sign the Texting and Driving Pledge at New River Auto Mall will receive a free silicone bracelet. "We want to help promote safe driving habits for teens and adults, and this pledge is a great way to spread awareness of the dangers of texting and driving," said Warner Peacock, CEO of New River Auto Mall. "This is just part of our commitment to keeping drivers throughout the Lowcountry safe."