Spencer: Pledge to Not Text And Drive

Leg. William R. Spencer, M.D. represents Suffolk County’s 18th district.

September tends to be a hectic month for residents as the summer comes to a close and the school year begins. With the start of each school year, we often see an increase in the amount of new and young drivers on the roads. Learning to drive is an exciting experience, so I want to encourage our drivers to stay safe and to keep the focus on the road and not on one’s cell phone.

According to the National Safety Council, texting while driving accounts for more than 100,000 injuries and deaths per year, and that number is on an upward trend. Texting and driving is quickly becoming just as deadly as drinking and driving.

Last year, I declared September 19th of every year as “Don’t Text and Drive Awareness Day” in Suffolk County. I did this so the issue can remain in the forefront of everyone’s minds, especially the minds of teen drivers and their parents. It is a constant work in progress to increase public awareness of the dangers of texting and driving. With text messaging being a primary form of communication, we have been programmed to respond to incoming texts almost immediately. Sometimes the temptation to look at your phone may get the best of you, but even seconds make a difference when driving.

I encourage drivers to look into the variety of apps available for download that will either block calls, texts and emails from being sent to you while driving, or respond to the message letting the caller know that you are unavailable. By making a conscious effort to remove the temptation to text our roads will be safer.

I am a firm advocate of AT&T’s “It Can Wait!” program that has been brought to many schools throughout Suffolk County. As a part of my Healthy Communities Initiative, I continue to work in conjunction with AT&T, the Suffolk County Department of Health and Suffolk County Police Department to increase awareness of the dangers of texting while driving. It is my hope that all drivers, young and old, will take the pledge not to text while driving.

This simple act will save lives, protect the public, and create safer roads. To take the pledge, visit http://www1.itcanwait.com/.