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Here on this blog I hope to get a conversation going amongst students, teachers, administrators, and parents about who, what, when, why, and where we should teach technology skills for the 21st century. I am technology teacher at Truckee High School in Truckee, CA and currently teach classes like digital media, e-learning, applications, and keyboarding -- yes...still important! :) Please Join the Conversation!

Monday, March 5, 2012

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Battling to make a loved one’s life meaningful after death

Why is it so hard for people, not just teenagers, to put their phones away while driving? Texting while at the wheel is not only dangerous to oneself but to all those using the road including other drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Keep those phones away and stay focused on driving!

Each day 15 people die and 1200 are injured due to accidents involving a distracted driver.
For more information about the dangers of "Distracted Driving" please read http://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/Distracted_Driving/index.html

AT&T Don't Text While Driving Documentary


Who is driving distracted?




































WARNING - The following PSA contains graphic content and demonstrates the harsh realities of texting and driving.  Watch or show with caution.




So, once again, why is it so hard for people, not just teenagers, to put their phones away while driving?   Please comment below.

49 comments:

  1. I think that people feel the need to be connected through technology 100% of the time. Students text in class regardless of how many times they've gotten their phones taken away, so why should it be any different for driving. Since most of us haven't experienced an actual car crash or death, we cannot speak to how horrific these events actually are. Therefor, we have no concept of the consequences. Without this, we will continue our actions until the repercussions catch up with us.

    Amory

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  2. Nathan
    The reason it is so hard for teenagers to put their phone away in the car is because they feel they need to stay caught up with the world. It is as if they are disconnected from the world itself for a simple 1 hour car ride. The reality is they should realize texting while driving is dangerous and can kill you or the people around you. so don't do it!

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  3. I think it is really hard because when the phone starts to ring or buzzes it is difficult to let it alone. People don't have enough restraint to put there phones down when driving and keep them there no matter how many notifications they get.

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  4. Even though today's generation feels like they need to be connected with their friends constantly, the text can wait while in the car. If it is absolutely necessary, it's better to pull off the road shortly if possible. Anyways, the radio should be enough to entertain you. You should still also be careful when changing the radio so some random guy hidden in the dark doesn't get pissed and throw a snowball at your windshield.

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  5. Driving is often not the most exciting thing to do. Because of this many people search for a way to pass the time. In our world one of the best things to do so is to use a smart phone, but in a car this is extremely dangerous. It is not done because the driver is stupid or arrogant, but simply bored and in the modern society we live in the phone is a powerful tool to kill boredom. It becomes something we use so constantly that often people don't even think twice about using it in the car.

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  6. I think it is so hard to for people to put their phones away because they want to be constantly connected to their friends, and don't want to miss out on anything. The need to be included in the cyber world overpowers that of safety. Most people have not ever been in a crash or witnessed one so they have a false sense of safety and think that it will never happen to them.

    --Arella

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  7. I find it interesting how if you look away from the road for even that short of a amount of time, it can change your life forever. And how distracted driving has become such a problem, that people are being killed when there is really no need to. It is also interesting how people are starting to make laws to try and prevent this from happening at all, and I think it is a really good thing. I myself, am guilty of doing this at certain times, and realize that it is not safe and should stop for both they safety of myself, as well as those around me, Zach

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  8. Chase
    It is so hard for people to put their phones away when driving because they could get bored when driving. Even though they could just ask someone in the car with them to text who they want, or just wait until you are not driving. I also think people text is because they made talking on the phone illegal.

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  9. when people have phones and a text comes up on your phone it is just your automatic reaction to grab the phone and respond. People dont think about what could happen to them even though they see that kind of stuff happen to people all the time. It is extremely important for people to understand that they arent indestructable and those things can happen to them.
    Katie

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  10. Some people get bored while driving if they are alone and they text to feel connected or to find out important details.They don't believe that the next unfortunate victim on the news could be them.

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  11. I think there's just this urge to text that simply doesn't just go away. Maybe it's your boss saying that work is cancelled after all, or even your friend saying something moderately important. You just have this YEARN to read the text that was sent to you. A more efficient way to stop this is to easily pull over and read the text and reply while the car isn't in motion. Or just wait until you're done driving all together. The fact of the matter is that texting while driving comes with deadly consequences, no matter how invincible you think you are.
    --Terra K.

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  12. I think people feel like they have to be connected, no matter what they are doing. I see people texting all the time; on a chair lift, during class, and some even put their phone in a bag so they can in the shower. It starting to get out of control. Not many young drivers have been effected by the consequences of distracted driving, therefore the distracted drivers just assume it would never happened to them. Unfortunately, it can happen to anyone

    Sydney

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  13. i think that its crazy how people know what the consequences are to driving and texting at the same time still do it. I think that many more people should be more concious to what driving and texting does and what could happen.
    Tawnya

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  14. I think people who txt and drive should be responsible for what they are doing and what damage they could inflect on others that are on the road with them.
    Maggie

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  15. I think that people should realize that this could happen to anyone. We need to realize that txting and driving can kill you. They need to be more aware and realize that you can be killed from a simple txt.

    Shawn

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  16. i think its hard for people to stop texting while driving because some people are addicted. and also because they might get bored driving by themselves and need to "distract" from being bored by texting. Andrea

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  17. When you drive you need the most attention, but when you drive and text, facebook or answer or phone you have lot of distraction in our drive.
    So when you're driving, do not answer your phone, do not use facebook or something, because when you do this, you are in danger of life and puts others in danger.
    When driving off cell

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  18. I think people have a difficulty with not texting because they feel they are saving time by texting in car than at home but they will be texting anyway when they get home. They feel that the amount of spent in the car could be used efficiently when they are just putting themselves in danger. They feel disconnected and they need to talk to someone and feel that they are connected.

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  19. Texting and driving is a huge problem because people can't just put there phone down until they are done driving. This is because sometimes people are trying to meet up and need to communicate with others. Also texting is somewhat addictive so kids "have to" text their friends back, when really its not worth dying over.

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  20. i think that its hard for people to stop texting and facebooking while driving because they want to be connected to the world all the time. if your not involved in the conversation then i think you will feel left behind and lost in everything thats happening around you. so thats why i think its hard for people to stop while driving, they just dont want to be left out

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  21. Its hard for people to put their phones away when driving because they feel like they have to respond instantly or the world will end, or something. People also don't realize that sending a simple text like "Ok" could draw their attention away just long enough to seriously injure or kill themselves or others.

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  22. The drivers that are texting may probably feel bored or want to get connected with someone to tell them about something. I think that those people should not be texting because the more that they do it the more that they think that their good at driving and that they'll be ok and they think like they're basically immortal in a way.

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  23. Texting while driving is wrong because one text message can cost you your life. there isn't any message that's worth more then your life. and if its really that important then easily pull over. it's really not that hard to wait and answer a message or check your facebook.

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  24. We have been taught from a young age that time is of the essence and it shouldn't be wasted. Now modern technology has provided us with a way to constantly be communicating with others or looking things up on the internet, even while driving. People won't take responsibility for their actions and admit that they are a distracted driver. Everyone thinks that accidents happen to other people, never themselves, so they give into the temptations of texting or facebooking. It's also contagious though. If you're talking to someone and they get on their phone you become bored and follow their example. It's a dangerous cycle.

    Sofie C.

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  25. i felt that the last video, based in the UK, was very powerful. it intreaged me to ignore my phone while driving and to also advise the driver, whoes car im in, to put away their cell phones. The driver in the video is now responsible for the deaths of not only her 3 or 4 friends but also parents and their baby(not to mention the people in the other vehicles involved). The little girl is now scarred for life and will never get the oppurtunity to grow up with parents to care for her. Very sad but convincing.

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  26. In our world today people don't think they have enough time in their day so they do drastic things to make more time. Texting and Facebooking while driving is one of those drastic things. But when people do that kind of thing i don't think they get that it could end their life. I wish people knew how dangerous it is.
    -Makenna

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  27. People dont put their phones away beacause their simply to busy communicating with other people wether its through facebook or texting or any other social media. not knowing that they are risking their lives and could end up dead. and its really not worth dying for either. -David

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  28. i feel the only reason people text while driving is because they both need something to occupy their time and because they really don't comprehend the reprocaution t'were something to go wrong.

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  29. I feel like people get much to distracted because they interpret the car as "Boring" So they fill the void with such electronic devices. And maybe they feel some what "Lonely" in the car, so they resort to saying hi to some of there friends. But thinking in a quite different perspective, Marijuana is illegal, but people still do it. Under age drinking is also illegal, many people still do it. Laws have no purpose unless the person violating such laws is exposed the the consequences. And harshly....

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  30. I think that texting while driving is completely not worth it, it could cause you harm and others as will. And if you end up alive with the responsibility of injuring or hurting others the guilt will be with you for the rest of your life. Texting can wait until your out of the car its not more important than a life. -Arturo

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  31. i people dont want to put the electronics away because people dont have patients. And people dont realize how serious it can get until it happens to them when sometimes it can be to late, which i think is STUPID. Theres people out there that still do it after the stories they hear, if your going to be comfortable with the choices you make, you also have to be comfortable with the possible consequences. BY Andres

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  32. Just tell them to stop drinking or texting while driving it the law you can kill yourself or your friend or get aressed

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  33. Personally, I don't think texting and driving is a good idea. However, I've never seen harm from talking on your phone while driving, so I don't think it should be illegal. I never understood why people can't not do it, but I'm not very normal, so...

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  34. I think people text and drive because it is human nature to be social and connected. Though it may be true, we still should be able to use common sense about when the proper time to focus on what's going on at the time versus texting your friend. People who can't see the glaring consequences of texting and driving or think it could never happen to them are greatly mislead or mistaken and are probably the ones who with suffer from their own stupidity.

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  35. that all type of people need there phones to talk and go on the internet and teenagers cant help them selves because there life are on that phone.;the threes people that get killed because of this electronics and that stupid ,,,,, you cant wait to get home but that docent stop people......by baldomero

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  36. people text or talk on the phone while driving because they get bored and whats happening outside of your car if far more interesting.

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  37. Yes its true people don't stop until they realize their in a big serious danger, But while they don't see it or realize they keep on doing it. Still it turns to be not good for them
    but what can we do to them if they don't listen to this and say they don't care why should we still be trying to make them understand if they won't even listen to nothing of this.

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  38. I feel that people need stop texting and driving. If people think about what possibility's that could happen the second they pick up their phone, they will put it right back down. Even adults still text and drive, if they are willing to take the risk when you are by your self, but when their are kids in the car be a leader and show them the safe and right way to drive.
    -Nic

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  39. Wow that was awful! That girl killed her friends, others and injuring lots of others as well! The video shows what probably exactly what would have happened in real life. Her friend even told her to put her phone away, and now by just not doing a simple thing that girl killed her good friends, others loved ones and injuring others. This video shows the results of not doing the right thing and following rules! Don't know how that girl will live her self after this!

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  40. people just have a need to be connected to the outside world and can't stand to be trapped in a car without social interaction. it tears them up to think that they are missing out on something, so they text. by Austin Murtha, the second duke earl of wellington and ruler of Nicks mama.

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  41. I think that is so hard for people to put their phones away because they may probably feel bored or they want to be connected with someone to tell them about something that happen to that person.

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  42. I don't think it's hard for people to put down their cell phones, they just don't realize the dangers of texting while driving. Teens are told over and over not to text and drive, but the possible consequences are rarely emphasized.Everyone needs to be educated on the dangers of distracted driving so they can truly understand why they shouldn't be doing it. However, in some cases people do know what they're doing is dangerous, they simply don't want to stop texting. They just feel the need to be connected, like they HAVE to be doing texting at that exact moment. Those people are just plain stupid.
    -Tori S.

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  43. i think people should stop texting and talking! its bad you can kill yourself or other. its better to drive safe because then you can be sorry after what happends.

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  44. I think that it's really sad that 3 letters can kill a person.I think people should not text and drive a message is not worth the rest of your life. But also when your texting you don't think about the consequences that can happen i think its really sad to know your texting a friend and then know she dies because she was going to reply to you, but also they should tell you their driving.

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  45. I think people or teengers need to stop sending facebook messages or text while driving Michaela Welch

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  46. I believe that people find it hard to put down there phones because they want to know what the other person said. I personally always want to see what the text message I just received ASAP. Whenever I have an unread text message I am dieing to read it and am really impatient because this text message might be really funny or really important so i feel that I really need to read it. Personally I never text or call when driving and usually tell people like my parents to stop when they start doing it. I hope that people will see that whatever the text message is its not any good to you if you aren't around to enjoy it.

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  47. people that text while your driving should think twice before getting your cellphone out . cause if you have other people with you in the car not only your life is under risk but also the people who you are with .

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    Replies
    1. You can get a ticket or assured or kill
      Michaela

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  48. People who text and drive don't know the consequences. For example theres a lot of probabilities you can die in a car accident or kill someone.Don't be Obssesed text person and be distractive for nothing but to takes someones life and yours.
    Be a safe driver and Pass It On!

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