Zachary Abraham is reminded every day of the cost of texting and driving. The car accident he suffered in July 2010 broke his jaw, shattered his heel bone, put him in a coma and has required him to undergo multiple surgeries and extensive therapy. Zachary was texting while he drove when he struck a concrete wall. He had to be cut out of his vehicle and airlifted to the hospital. He was very lucky to survive the accident. Many don’t.
Zachary is now working to spread the message about the dangers of texting and driving. Many states have banned the practice. Zachary and other safety advocates believe that Florida should also have a ban on texting. Florida is one of only six states with no law concerning texting and driving. At the very least, people need to understand that distracted driving endangers everyone on the road. A driver who is texting while driving is not paying proper attention to the road.
Recent studies have shown that texting and driving is an increasingly common practice among teen drivers. Parents are rarely aware of how frequently their teens text while driving. With no law in place, it is difficult to convince teens of the danger they put themselves into when they pull out their phones while behind the wheel. Common sense tells you that looking down and typing while going 55 miles per hour is a bad idea. The law should reflect that reality.
Parents should discuss texting and driving with the new drivers in their homes. Teens need to understand the potential cost of distracted driving.
Source: The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Teen texter at wheel nearly paid with his life,” by Deborah Circelli, 15 December 2012
