12 Tips to Stop Teen Texting and Driving

When the Safe Driving Law banning distracted driving passed in Massachusetts in 2010, the mother of a 17-year-old Massachusetts girl who died while texting and driving told Boston.com: “Even if it just saves one life, to me, all this that I’m putting myself through will have been worth it.’’

She and hundreds of others who lost loved ones or were injured in accidents involving a distracted driver lobbied hard for the law to pass.

And for good reason. Driving while distracted is a leading cause of motor accidents in the United States, particularly accidents involving teenage drivers.

According to The Center for Disease Control’s most recent study on the issue, distracted driving caused 3,328 deaths and 421,000 injuries in 2012.

Drivers under the age of 20 account for the largest proportion of distracted drivers, and 10 percent of people 20 or younger who are involved in a fatal crash were reportedly distracted at the time.

>>Tell us in the comments: What tips do you have to talk to kids about texting and driving?

Massachusetts state government and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provide the following tips for parents and teens to keep teenage drivers focused and safe.

Parents and Guardians:

• Talk to your kids about teen driver accident statistics.
• Lead by example when you’re in the car.
• Encourage your family to take the pledge and commit to distracted-free driving while behind the wheel.
• Encourage teens to turn cell phone notifications off. If they can’t see or hear their phone go off, they will be less tempted to pick it up.
• Start a new rule: While driving, cell phones go in the backseat or another spot where they cannot be reached.
• Download an app that will temporarily disable the phone while driving. They can use it again upon arriving at their destination. ( Here is a list of possibilities.)

Teenagers:

• Put your phone down.
• Follow safe driving tips.
• Cut out driver distractions by turning off your phone or setting it to silent mode.
• Know your route beforehand to avoid using your phone for directions, or pull over during the trip to review where you need to go.
• Speak up. If you’re in the car with someone who is using their cellphone behind the wheel ask them to stop.
• Lend the phone to a passenger in the car and have them do the texting if an immediate response is necessary.

image via shutterstock