No Text Is as Important as Your Life : Bob Ciasulli

Cell phones and driving don’t mix. All teens and some adults as well should understand that texting while driving is extremely dangerous. When texting, your attention is diverted away from the wheel, the road, and your safety. Consider your life and the lives of others before responding to texts while driving.

Cell phones and driving don’t mix. All teens and some adults as well should understand that texting while driving is extremely dangerous. When texting, your attention is diverted away from the wheel, the road, and your safety. Consider your life and the lives of others before responding to texts while driving.

I’m Bob Ciasulli and I own several car dealerships in Northern New Jersey. I’d like to bring the following information to your attention to encourage you to protect your teens remind them to always practice safe driving habits. When it comes to texting while driving, teens are at a huge risk. It’s easy to see why. According to a recent study, “The average United States teenager sends and receives on average around 2,900 text messages a month”. At almost 3,000 texts a month, it’s safe to assume that some of these are being sent while behind the wheel of a vehicle.

But lets talk about talking on the phone first. Interestingly enough, the majority of drivers who got into accidents were not dialing, but just having a conversation. Another cause of cell phone related wrecks is drivers reaching for their phone when it’s ringing and out of reach. When using your cell phone, you’re a lot less likely to avoid obstacles or large objects in the road. I’m talking about everything from minor damage potholes to other vehicles. When you’re on the phone, you lose track of how fast your going and are more likely to drift out of your lane. You’re also less likely to observe traffic patterns or anticipate the moves of other drivers.

Texting is even more dangerous. Jennifer Guevin from CNET says, “Texting [takes] a driver’s focus away from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds—enough time to travel the length of a football field at 55 MPH.” Texting drivers are far more distracted because they not only look down while texting, but move their fingers to type. Because of their added inexperience, younger drivers who choose to text while driving are not only a hazard to themselves, but to others on the road. On most occasions, these drivers are talking, texting, changing songs on their iPods or MP3 players and neglecting their speed and safety.

The American Automobile Association says that car accidents increase by 50% for people who text while driving, I encourage you to have a talk with your teen about texting. You can persuade them to not text or call while driving if you demonstrate safe behavior in your own vehicle. Remind them that no text message is important enough to be worth their life or the lives of others. If they MUST send a text, encourage them to have friends or passengers be the “designated texter” and send their messages for them.

Any activity that draws your eyes away from the road is the greatest risk to your safety. I encourage you to talk to your child and show him or her a video of the consequences of texting while driving. Or have your child play the New York Times Texting Game. Take care of yourselves, your family, and each other on the roads.

Bob Ciasulli owns and operates several car dealerships in northern New Jersey and is very interested in automotive maintenance and safe driving habits. He encourages you to drive safely and protect yourself and your fellow drivers.