BY MATTIE OCAIN, Junior
BLYTHEWOOD-- According to insurance companies teens have commonly been known to be involved in more wrecks than adults would. Technology is a huge factor in wrecks of all ages.
According to Edgar Snyder and Associates, on average 330,000 car wrecks are caused because of texting and driving. This is approximately 1 out of 4 cars in the U.S. According to NHTSA 10,000 lives are claimed from drunk driving crashes. It may not cross mind that texting and driving could harm a person, but it is actually more dangerous than drunk driving.
Matt Sherman, an administrator at Blythewood High school, witnesses accidents in the parking lot everyday.
He has not witnessed cell phones being the cause of accidents but feels that they are a huge factor.
“Most of the conversations he has with students is about their phones, whether it is about getting them back after getting them taken in class or even students asking me what new phone they should get,” Sherman said.
New drivers definitely have a great deal more to worry about on the roads. They do not have the experience with distractions that might happen.
Molly Brockwell, a sophomore at Blythewood High School, is a new driver. Being a new driver, she took the driving classes not long ago. A large topic in these classes are cell phones. Instructors stress the fact to not text and drive.
“Sometimes, she still will initiate a text to her mom if she has a question about where she is going,” Brockwell said.
Cell phones have advanced so much in the past couple of years that they are used to do about anything. Most people love listening to music while driving or in the car.
“Changing the song is not as dangerous because I don’t even need to look down at the phone to change it I know where the button is already,” Brockwell said. This is still dangerous because concentration has moved from being on the road to what the next song will be.
Layla Young, a sophomore at Blythewood High School is also a new driver. She has older sibling that she has witnessed the effects of texting and driving. She will still glance at her phone when driving. She goes on to say these messages can wait.
“Everyone has texted while they were driving before or have been distracted on their phones when they shouldn't be. Though it seems harmless it could be very dangerous and puts your own life at risk and everyone else's around you,” Young said.
