Texting while driving idiotic, dangerous

By Natalie Clericuzio     9/3/09 7:00pm

Abbreves (or abbreviations) have consumed the world of speedy communication, from e-mails to instant messages to text messaging. However, even if it's possible to say "I love you" in three characters (ilu), that does not make it any safer to text while driving, no matter how proficient your no-look keypad skills may be.Fortunately, lawmakers feel the same way, as media outlets have recently been clogged with an influx of stories about legislation banning texting while driving. Several states have already made texting while driving illegal. In Utah, for example, mixing texts and driving could get offenders up to 15 years in jail if they hit someone. In addition to bans at the state levels, Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York is pushing a bill outlawing the practice nationwide.

I support Sen. Schumer's bill. However, its necessity is just another example of all-around stupidity by those in my generation (and anyone who engages in texting while operating a motor vehicle). The fact that this behavior has become so widespread that it merits legislation against it is simply appalling when any rational person can see that driving and texting should never mix.

First, there's the obvious reasoning. If a driver's attention is centered upon entering the right combination of keys to appease the fickle nature of predictive text, then he or she has distracted himself or herself from concentrating on the road. Clearly the more distracted a driver is, the more hazardous he is. Anything that causes a driver to avert his eyes from the road for an extended period of time should fall under the category of "activities that can wait until the car is stopped."

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That's not even the main point. I would venture to say that at minimum, 85 percent of texts deal with non-pressing issues, such as, "Boys suck," "You suck," or perhaps, if you're lucky, "Want to get dinner with me tonight?" If the message requires an immediate response, most people tend to go about things the old-fashioned way: by making a real, live phone call. Besides the fact that sending a text message is infinitely more distracting than talking on the phone, the messages themselves do not merit putting a person's life in danger.

Really, though, it's just simple logic. Anyone who has passed a driver's test should have the mental capacity to register the idea that sending a text message is a clear conflict of interest with safe driving. As my high school drivers education coach liked to tell us, a car is a weapon. Make sure you are prepared to use it correctly with minimal distraction.

Because every time you buckle that seatbelt, you're submitting a contract to protect yourself and those around you by concentrating on your driving.

By now, you texter-drivers out there are likely collectively rolling your eyes at my absurd admonishments, assuming I'm some loser who couldn't pick a text message out of an electronic-communication line-up.

But prepare yourselves - if asked to pick my favorite method of e-communication, I'd unfailingly go with the text. One of my worst fears is the day when my phone plan no longer comes with an "unlimited texting" option.

Just not when I'm behind the wheel.

Natalie Clericuzio is a Wiess College junior and Thresher sports editor.

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