People are constantly on their phones every second of everyday. iPhones and other smartphones are extremely popular and useful in everyday life. The impact of social media alone has increased like rapid fire and will continue to do so. A majority of people, especially teens would prefer sending a text then calling someone on the phone and leaving an actually message. The social world is changing everyday through technology. When someone arrives at another person’s house they will send a text message saying: “here!” instead of the traditional way of ringing their doorbell and personally informing them.

Texting is a main part of communication with friends, in long distance relationships and/or keeping in constant contact with loved ones even if they are not physically there. Technology is faster and more efficient but how much is too much?

According to distraction.gov “In 2013, 3,154 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. This represents a 6.7 percent decrease in the number of fatalities recorded in 2012.”

Distracted drivers are not only risking their lives but their passengers’ lives, other people’s lives in the cars around them and bystanders as well.

Distracted driving is not only limited to texting, distracted driving is considered: using a cell phone or smartphone, eating, drinking, grooming, reading even maps and a list of written directions and adjusting a radio. Loud music is also another form of distraction. Stoptextsstopwrecks.org explained: Five seconds is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55 mph, that’s enough time to cover the length of a football field. Eleven percent of all drivers under twenty involved in fatal car accidents were reported as distracted.

Forty-nine percent of drivers with cell phones under the age of 35 send and or read text messages while they are driving. All of these facts can be prevented in the future by some simple tips.

If you are driving and your friend is in the passenger seat have that friend send your texts for you and hold your phone. Another tip is to keep your phone on silent or turn it off when you are driving. If you need to get in contact with a person at that very moment and the text is urgent then you should pull over.

No text is worth your life. Many people think that it cannot happen to them. People think they can manage to multitask and they are in control even when they look away from the road for two seconds but that is not the case. Just because you do not think it can happen or will happen to you does not mean you should put your life, the lives of people that are in your car, the lives of other people on the road, and the lives of bystanders in danger.

A text message or phone call can wait. Regardless if it is a detailed text or a one worded text it is not worth your or someone else’s life.