Our Perspective on distracted driving and how to be better

The temptation is high, everyone does it you may say.

Look around the next time you're at a stoplight or while driving. Many people are reading and typing on their cellphones while driving.

A selfish choice that can and has resulted in the unnecessary death and injury of others.

We all need to realize this is dangerous. The roadways are dangerous enough when we are fully alert.

Amarillo police report a total of 26 crashes in June from distracted driving in general.

The Texas Department of Transportation says one in five wrecks across the state are caused by distracted driving including cell phone use.

The Virginia Technical Transportation Institute found that text messaging increases the risk of a crash or near-crash by 23 times.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shared that when driving a car at 55 mph, if you look at your phone for five seconds, you will have traveled the equivalent of an entire football field with your eyes not on the road.

For the parents, what you do matters. A University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute study found that teens whose parents drive distracted are two to four times as likely to also drive distracted.

Okay, I think you get the point.

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We all have done or are doing something that is putting us and others at risk. The good news is we can stop doing it today and encourage others to do the same.

Our Perspective: If you are looking for ways to avoid the temptation, If you're looking to change your habits and those of others, I'm providing a link to END DD.

There you will find information from a dedicated organization started by a father who lost his own daughter at the hands of someone driving distracted.

Make the unselfish choice today, keep your eyes on the road and your phone out of your hands.

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