Driving home from my mother-in-law's the day after Christmas, I glanced at the car zooming up I35 in the lane next to us and saw the driver paying very close attention to her Ipad. We were going 70 miles per hour. I was immediately filled with rage. I sat in the passenger seat of our car and stared at her. Glared at her. But, as she was too busy holding her Ipad in one hand and taking full advantage of the touch pad with the other, she never looked up to see me. Or the road.
A couple of weeks ago I got together with some of my favorite girlfriends. We got onto the topic of texting while driving. I stated that I don't text while driving, but admitted that occasionally I will sneak a peek at my phone while at a red light. One of my girlfriends admitted the same. But the other two admitted that they will text and check email while driving. I asked them to please stop doing that. And then one said, "It makes sense that you don't text while driving. You have your kids in the car with you." But here's the thing, and I said this to her, she may not be driving with kids in her car, but while her eyes are off the road, she could easily hit my car filled with my kids. Or your car, filled with your kids.
I have started leaving the volume off on my phone. I will readily admit that when I hear that little jingle announcing a text message, I'm consumed with the need to know what it says. But when I don't know there's a message, then I don't feel the need to check my phone, and I'm a better driver because of it.
So, to my friends who text and drive, there is no email, no text message, no phone call, that is more important than your safety. Or mine. Or my kids'. And to the woman I saw "driving" on I35, I hope you back over your Ipad before you back over someone's child. Please don't text and drive. Please.
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