After I dropped my kids off at school I headed to the bakery to buy some muffins for a school meeting. At the red light, I checked my phone and saw a text message from a friend who wanted to take a walk this morning. I thought it was a great idea to take a walk, so I promptly replied by texting that I can take a walk as soon as I go home to write my post in honor of the “No Phone Zone” campaign to help bring understanding to distracted driving.
WHAT WAS I THINKING? Writing a text in my car – at a red light – to tell someone that I am writing a post about no distracted driving?
Even though I was texting at a red light – it was still texting in a car and it was distracting me from driving. This helped me realize how easy it was to get distracted while driving and that I NEED TO BE THE FIRST PERSON TO GET ON BOARD AND TAKE THE PLEDGE. From now on, my cellphone will be placed out of reach while I am driving. First thing I did when I got home was to sign the pledge.
CLICK ON THE BUTTON ABOVE TO JOIN ME IN TAKING THE PLEDGE
Other ways to join the “No Phone Zone” Pledge:
MOBILE – Text to pledge = Text NPZ to 30644
Project Overview Video on the “Create a No Phone Zone” = http://www.citizenglobal.com/harpoproductions/nophonezone/
No Phone Zone Causes Page = http://www.causes.com/nophonezone
TWITTER – The Oprah Show Profile = http://twitter.com/theoprahshow
FACEBOOK – The Oprah Show Fan Page = http://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfreyshow
and No Phone Zone Pledge – http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/455
Here is more important statistics and information from the Oprah Winfrey “No Phone Zone” campaign:
- Every single time someone takes their eyes or their focus off the road – even
for just a few seconds – they put their lives and the lives of others in
danger. Distracted driving is
unsafe, irresponsible and in a split second, its consequences can be
devastating. ~ U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood
- New
research findings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) that show nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a
distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a million were
injured.
- On any given day in 2008, more than 800,000 vehicles were driven by someone using
a hand-held cell phone.
- Across
the board, federal researchers who have directly observed drivers of all
ages found that more and more people are using a variety of hand-held
devices while driving – not just cell phones, but also iPods, video games,
Blackberrys and GPS systems.
- In particular, cell phone use for talking and texting is now more prevalent on our nation’s roads, rail systems and waterways, carrying a dangerous potential for accidents
I am with you. The cell phone is such a distraction and an addiction. I live in LA and am sometimes in the car for very long periods of time and find that i often can’t resist the temptation to check it. I have started putting the phone in the backseat.