Did you know that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States? Certainly a tough statistic to hear. We all talk to our teens about the dangers of drunk driving and the importance of wearing seat belts. But there is another traffic safety issue we must make our children aware of so they can stay safe behind the wheel: distracted driving.
In 2020, 38,680 people were killed in car crashes and an estimated 2.2 million were injured in motor vehicle crashes in the United States. Sadly, our youngest and most inexperienced drivers are often the most at risk.
Distracted driving comes in many forms. It can include electronic distractions, like navigation systems and cell phones, or more conventional distractions, like interacting with passengers and eating. Unfortunately, texting is the most dangerous of all distractions because it involves manual, visual and cognitive distraction simultaneously. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field, blindfolded.
Student safety is our No.1 priority at WMHS, and we are committed to including appropriate driver education in our curriculum so we have invited Choices Matter, a highway safety program to speak to all high school students on Thursday, March 21 at 11:00am. Please encourage your child to be attendance that day and to not be dismissed for that portion of the school day.
As you talk with your teen about the responsibilities of driving, please encourage them to pay attention to the road at all times. Remind them that “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All.”