Texting is the modernized way of communication that all MHS students participate in. Texting has become an essential part of our everyday lives. The bad part is that it’s become so important that people are texting or on their phones while driving. 2022 Statistics from State Farm’s website tell us that half of teens think they can safely drive while texting. Contradictory statistics say that 97% of teens agree driving is dangerous, while 43% do it anyway. Most states have now banned texting for drivers, and some ban cellphone use by beginning drivers. Can you guess what the number one killer of teens is? You guessed it! Car crashes.

So why do teens text and drive? As I stated in the first paragraph, texting is the new way of communication that has started to be an everyday habit. We snap our heads and snatch our phones to see that notification every time the little “ding” sounds. “Texting HAS to be safe since it is just a quick little text.” Nope, it is never safe to look away from the road for even 5 seconds. We are so bound to texting because we get anxious if we don’t answer or even check the notification quickly enough. It is a stress response that we have adapted through our phones, becoming more of a priority than our actual lives.

So how do we fix this habit? We all know it’s bad for us, but why do we fall victim to this? “Social media promoters are just tobacco farmers in disguises selling an addictive product to children.” – Bill Maher. We are attached to our self phones. If you want to stop being distracted by your phone, listen up. Think about all of the lives you are endangering, and not only your own. Over 32,000 people have died from distracted driving from 2014 to 2023, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. Phones are a common distraction. On July 1st 2025, Iowa added the hands-free driving law, which indicates serious enforcement around driving with your cellphone in your hand. Even if you are “changing your music” or “calling someone”. All it takes is one glance away from the road, and you are dead, or you have committed homicide. If you injure someone from using your phone while driving, you are going to suffer immense, long-term guilt. This isn’t to scare anyone, but to put other people’s innocent lives in perspective. It is to educate and get people to understand how dangerous it is.

Daniel Voss, He was hit by a driver in 2013 while using a cellphone behind the wheel while he was riding his bike. He suffered a traumatic brain injury that left him with chronic seizures and uncontrollable moods. He had to have 4 different brain surgeries to get him where he is. He has to be on different medications until his last breath. Daniel Voss knows he was very lucky to survive such a brutal crash.

In Eastern Iowa, a family of five was driving from school, waiting for the pickup truck in front of them to turn, and was sandwiched by another pickup truck right behind their car. Keith Furne was sending a text while never hitting the brakes, causing this horrifying accident. Furne was completely fine, but that wasn’t the case for the family. Elysia Severson was 15 years old and what she describes as being “internally decapitated”. Her skin was the only thing keeping her head from falling off. She had to relearn basic tasks like talking and moving her body. She has to be reminded of this traumatic incident because she forgets from time to time. She was also very lucky. Her family is infuriated by how preventable this incident was.

Nothing can excuse texting while driving. If anyone you know has problems with using their cellphone while driving, tell them to read this story, and maybe they will think twice.