Photo by: Jim Legans

Please Promise Not to Use Your Cell Phone While Driving

by Karen B. Jones
Photo by: Jim Legans

I’m talking about Moms who are so careful about their kids. They baby-proof their homes until there’s nary a sharp corner or exposed outlet to be found. They pull all the strings out of their kids jackets and hoodies. They cut everything the child eats into quarter inch pieces to avoid any possible choking hazards. They never let anyone post pictures of their kids online for fear that a child molester might see it and somehow track them down. They carry disinfecting wipes and gels everywhere to sanitize the child every time they touch something that may be contaminated. They shop around for just the right, highest safety-rated child safety seat for the car, no matter how expensive. They agonize over whether or not to immunize their kids and fret over every illness or injury they acquire.

And yet, these same mothers think nothing of driving around town while using their cell phones. Do any of them really understand the danger they’re putting themselves, their kids, and anyone on the road with them in when they do this? Talking on the cell phone while driving, hands-free or not, increases your risk of an accident as much as driving drunk! Texting is even worse! Think about it. Whenever someone’s doing something stupid in traffic, don’t you usually see a cell phone in their hand? Often they never even realize how close they came to an accident until they actually wreck the car. They just go drifting down the road oblivious to everything else. Well, believe it or not, when you drive while using your cell, that person is you!

There have been several studies proving this. But people don’t want to believe it because, if they did, they’d have to change their behavior. What conversation or text message is important enough to risk the health and even lives of you, your passengers, and everyone else you’re sharing the road with?

But of course, they think they’re so much more careful than everyone else. They can hold a phone conversation and drive at the same time. It’s not dangerous for them. They’re careful. Maybe they restrict their cell phone usage to when they’re driving on slow, familiar routes. But is that any better? So, then they’re impaired when driving on residential streets where kids, pets, and other pedestrians may be crossing. Or maybe they only use their cell phone on the long stretches of highway where they don’t have to change lanes or merge for miles. Is that better? Driving impaired when one wrong move could cause them to hit another vehicle at speeds that could kill someone? But, of course, they’re careful. It won’t happen to them.

There are so many distractions around us all the time. Given that, why on earth would you voluntarily add the unnecessary, additional distraction of a cell phone to the din? It could be the one last distraction that tips you over the edge and makes you plow into that pickup truck in front of you or that kid riding his bike.

Think of all the inconveniences you go through to keep your kids safe on a regular basis. All that baby-proofing and vigilance. All that to protect them from dangers that are, let’s face it, fairly remote. Is restraining yourself from using your cell phone while driving any more unreasonable than that? And as a bonus, you’re not just protecting yourself and your passengers, but you’re protecting everyone else who is out there on the road with you. Isn’t that worth the minor inconvenience?

Remember, your phone does store the number of whoever called you and they can always leave a voice mail message. So, you can pull into a parking lot and call them back within 2 or 3 minutes if it’s really important. Try not to even glance at the caller ID unless you‘re stopped. Just like texting, anything that takes your eyes off the road is dangerous. Especially if it’s habitual and you don’t think about what’s going on around you before you do it. It’s best to just wait until you’re stopped to check it. Think how embarrassed you’d be if you caused an accident because you were checking your caller id or a text message. Even worse than embarrassment if the accident was a bad one. Could you live with yourself if checking your phone resulted in an accident that killed or crippled someone?

For God’s sake, put down the phone and drive! Pull over to text or talk! Make a promise to your kids that their safety is more important to you than any cell phone conversation!

Some reference materials:

Karen B. Jones is a web developer turned children’s book author and illustrator. She lives in Olathe, KS with her husband and two daughters.

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78 Comments

In California it is illegal to drive while talking, but the fine is only $35 dollars. Hands free devices only work well when people actually take the time to set it up BEFORE getting in the car. My 2011 Sienna has handsfree bluetooth connection with all the buttons on my steering wheel and even with that luxury I still avoiding using it when my kids are with me.

We are definitely addicted to our cyber technology....And there is an app for that....soon to be available on iPhone and blackberry. Otter....see link below

It allows you to automatically send responses, "I'm driving, or I'm fixing dinner, or whatever.

It was designed by a Dad who nearly lost his 3-year-old daughter to a woman who was texting while driving; she didn't even look up once. Drove right through the sidewalk oblivious to the trajedy barely avoided...

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Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that hands-free devices are *just as bad*. You're still distracted.

And, by the way, talking on the phone is far *more* dangerous than driving drunk. Would you pick your kids up from school after having a few cocktails?

Thank you, Karen, for bringing up this topic. I hope that anyone who caused an accident while talking on the cell phone would be more than embarrassed, but would be guilty and remorseful. It is absolutely unacceptable to drive while shaving, putting on makeup, texting (That's just ridiculous. Would you let a blind person drive? It's the same thing.) Talking to a person in the car is completely different than talking to someone hands-free because you have the person next to you to A...

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http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-6090342-7.html

http://www.iii.org/media/hottopics/insurance/cellphones/

Just two links that I found in a quick google search, if you are looking for studies and stats.

Thank You, for bring up such an important topic! Recently while visiting my son in Patterson, Calif. my car was hit by a young woman onthe phone having a fight with someone , she hit my car and tried to take off and almost hit 2 people that were trying to stop her-- did I mention that it was raining. I had only been at the store a few minuets when this happened, and at the last second before leaving left my gradchild with her Uncle while I did this errrand...

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I am so happy to read about this today, I made a promise to myself not to use a cell phone while driving just few days ago. I think all electronics should be banned including hands free devices and DVD while driving. I support you

I do not talk on the cell phone while driving. I don't want to be responsible for killing someone else or someone else's family member. I have ridden with friends talking on the phone and they veer off into another lane and steer themselves back. That scares me. I am guilty of once talking on the cell phone and driving. I realized I wasn't paying attention and decided to never do that again.

I also cannot stand to see people yakking on their mobiles, hand up to their ear, waving their other hand...yes, really! I wish they could see what could happen...there was a PSA about texting and driving (ran in the UK, not sure of the rest of the world), but I dound it on the 'Net. Graphic, but it makes you think. I use a hands free device. I have two special needs children, and I drive 500 miles a week, and often I am on the road when I get calls...

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the next time you think that driving distracted is no big deal,dont think about the people who could die, think about the people, the kids, that are maimed every day by drivers who simply had to use the phone or egads read, WHILE DRIVING ! put the phone down, nothing and no one is so important that it is worth risking your childs (or someone elses child) safety.
karin h.

I'm the author of this article. Many of you have been complaining that I did not include my research in this article. I wanted to say that the original version I sent to Mamapedia did cite 3 representative articles supporting my position, though there are many more sources available saying basically the same thing if you want to take the time to look. However, Mamapedia chose, for whatever reason, not to include them in this version of the article...

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Thanks for the info I sure hope not only moms learn from this but dads and friends of all of us do too, to many lifes has been taken and to many kids are out of a mom or dad because of talking on the phone while driving, as for texting I don't even think that one should have come out because of the danger that comes with it, when someone calls me I always ask what are you doing if driving is the answer I ask them to call me back when there not driving and hangup, my friends and family don't call me when they are driving I just hangup on them every time. " Please Drive Safe everyone"

Mamapedia has added my reference material to the article. Apparently it was only an oversight and they didn't intend to leave them off. Thanks, Mamapedia.

This needs to be enforced every where... I cannot tell you how many accidents I have almost been in because the other person is on the cell phone... and the same applies for all those lovely (respected) police officers... I have lots of respect for the law but now when they are the ones breaking it.

I was guilty of talking and texting in the car...with the kids or without. Then I watched the Oprah show. It scared me to death! I signed her petition and have not done it since. I also had my daughter watch it and she signed it too. Although she's almost 12, she will be behind the wheel in 4 years. I want to set a good example for her by not texting or talking. It only takes a split second to change (or ruin) someones life...I don't want to be responsible for that.

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