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Don’t Text and Drive
Anabelle Hernandez & Galilee Araujo Bulldog TV
According to the United States Department of Transportation, 3,142 were lost to distracted driving in 2020*. The most common form of distracted driving for teen drivers is texting or talking on the phone while driving, unsurprisingly. Though impacts of these actions are powerful and long lasting, the prevention of them is simple.
It is a well known fact that “sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed,” (USTD). Furthermore, in a study done in 2019 by the CDC, it was found that “39% of high school students who drove in the past 30 days texted or emailed while driving on at least one of those days,”
Considering these statistics, the risk for distracted-driving-related accidents has become alarmingly greater for student and or teen drivers. It is important to understand all risks involved in texting while driving, including recognizing laws and regulations against it. “Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia have phone use bans specifically targeting young drivers”, according to the IIHS. Penalties for distracted driving vary throughout states, however, the most common being a “delayed or suspended license” (USTD).
In order to avoid the consequences of distracted driving, young drivers should remember to follow basic safety rules. To limit focus to the road, drivers should avoid any task that requires their attention to be taken away, even partially, from driving. This includes connecting bluetooth devices, eating, or using a hand-held device. Other means of this could be limiting the number of passengers within the vehicle to further avoid distractions.
To summarize, it is increasingly important for drivers, both old and new, to understand the dangers of distracted driving and even more important to spread awareness of the prevention of it. It is both the drivers and passengers responsibility to recognize unsafe driving practices and it is the cooperation between them that will reduce the high amount of accidents they cause.
*USTD
https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/distracted_driving/index.html
https://www.ghsa.org/state-laws/issues/Teen%20and%20Novice%20Drivers?state=Illinois
https://www.iihs.org/topics/distracted-driving#cellphone-laws
Positive Impact
Sara Bernabe and Kaitlyn Marsek
You never know what someone is going through. The percent of depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses in teenagers has been at an all time high in the past ten years. High stress can be caused by pressure at school, pressure at home or pressure from work. Anyone around you could be under a large amount of stress and or be suffering from a mental illness. Reaching out to someone, being that helping hand to someone can really make a difference. Having someone who is willing to listen to them, give advice, and be a shoulder to cry on can help someone feel more grounded and help their mental state. If someone reaches out to you with their troubles, listen to them. Helping others creates this sense of belonging, studies show that helping others can make yourself feel rewarded, fulfilled and empowered. When you help someone it makes that person feel like they are not invisible in the world. When you help someone it could inspire that person to do the same, and just by helping someone it could change multiple peoples' days including your own. When you change someone's day by being positive or helpful it could change the way people see themselves and how they see others. It could improve relationships, friendships, and how people act towards others. When and if they’re ready to seek help, encourage them to look at the following websites.
https://www.positiveimpacthealthcenters.org/
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