Get reacquainted with the facts about distracted driving as we move into a new school year.
So much is new: the TLLM website, the online pledge, and how we communicate with the TLLM community through programs and initiatives. But our mission remains the same: end distracted driving, prevent tragic crashes, live more.
If you’ve visited our website, you know the statistics. According to the World Health Organization, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for young people. In 2018, 2841 US deaths were caused by a distracted driver: 1,730 drivers, 605 passengers, 477 pedestrians and bicyclists. That’s 9 people lost per day. We envision a world where none of those deaths occur.
At TextLess Live More, our mission is to end distracted driving. Permanently. We aim to make this happen through dialogue with young people and government officials alike, as well as through education campaigns about distracted living and digital wellness. Since learning more about how “distracted living” and technological dependence contributes to distracted driving, we have been excitedly expanding our programming to include new ways to stay present, undistracted, and safe.
Distracted driving happens because of three different kinds of distraction. Visual distractions take our eyes off the road. Manual distractions make us take our hands off the wheel. Cognitive distractions drag our minds away from our driving. Using a phone while driving is particularly dangerous because it causes all three kinds of distraction.
Taking your eyes, hands, or thoughts away from the wheel for even 5 seconds can have dangerous consequences: going 55mph, you would drive the whole length of a football field without paying attention. It’s no wonder that you are approximately 4 times more likely to be involved in a crash when using a phone.
Our phones are so embedded in every part of our lives that it can be difficult to put them down even when we know that our attention is better spent elsewhere. But committing to changing our behaviors and continuing the conversation about distracted driving can not only prevent unnecessary deaths, but improve our lives and mental wellbeing.
Generation Z have proven themselves to be capable of changing the world. Armed with this information, we know that they can help us end distracted driving.
