Set a Good Example and #DecideToDrive

Last Updated on February 5, 2018 by Diane Hoffmaster

Not too long ago I was driving with a friend of mine, taking the kids somewhere for the day.  As they chatted happily in the backseat my friend pulled out her phone and was checking to see what sort of messages she had missed.   It isn’t the first time this has happened with assorted friends and family.  We lead busy lives and multitasking while driving may seem like a great idea.  Until you end up wrecking your car.  But…say you are one of the lucky ones who never EVER has a wreck while you are driving while on your phone.  Great!  But, what about those little eyes and ears that are watching you from the backseat? Have you set a good example for them?

Set a Good Example and #DecideToDrive

As a mom, I try to set a good example for my kids.  I use good manners, say please and thank you and try to teach them to do the right thing.  They are teens now and as scary as it sounds, they are going to be driving very soon!  They will take a drivers education class and get plenty of ‘on the road’ training from their instructor but the people that leave a lasting impression on our kids is their parents!  If our children see us driving while texting or talking on our cell phones every time we get in the car then THAT is the behavior they will be modeling!

My son has the attention span of a gnat…he is literally that kid who could be walking along having a conversation with you and turn and go “LOOK! SQUIRREL!”.  I worry about his lack of attention when it comes to his ability to focus on his driving.  In 2 years he will be behind the wheel and there are enough distractions in nature that will catch his attention…I don’t need him to be distracted by a cell phone while he is driving!

DECIDE TO DRIVE CAMPAIGN

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), of the nearly 33,000 roadway fatalities in 2012, there were 3,328 fatalities and approximately 421,000 injuries in distracted driving-related crashes. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Auto Alliance want to increase awareness about the risks of distracted driving.  The Decide to Drive program aims to empower drivers and passengers to speak up about distracted driving, continue the conversation at home, work and play, and reduce distracted behaviors behind the wheel.  If you set a good example for your kids and put down the cell phone, you may be ensuring that THEY don’t become distracted drivers when they get behind the wheel!

Remember, the most advanced safety feature of any vehicle is the driver. The AAOS and the Auto Alliance urges all drivers to keep their most sophisticated safety features engaged at all times: eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.