Texted to Death

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Warning: Texting and multitasking really don't mix. Here's the scary reason why...

As girls, we know it's hard not to compulsively check your phone. And we know that texting can be addictive, but it can also be deadly if you do it while you should be paying attention to something else. Doctors from the American College of Emergency Physicians are seeing a rise in injuries and deaths from texting while walking, biking, in-line skating, and driving. It's hard to take it seriously when tabloids poke fun at celebs who multitask and text, and when there are Facebook groups like "I'm a Text Message Driver." But when you text at the wheel you don't put just yourself at risk, but others too. In July 2007, a 17-year-old girl driving in New York state crashed her SUV into a truck, killing herself and 4 friends. Records showed that her cell phone sent a text message minutes before the accident. Stories like this show the scary consequences oftexting while driving.

Here, strategies to handle your texting addiction:

1. Hand over the phone. If you're driving with friends, give your phone to one of them; verbally tell them what to text and have them read the responses.

2. Spread the word. Before getting in the car, send a text message to the person (or people) you've been writing to and say you'll reply when you've arrived at your destination safely. Then Turn.Off.The.Phone.

3. Take a text break. If you must answer a text, pull over to do so. You'll drive and type better if you devote attention to each one separately. If you have to respond immediately, be "old-fashioned" and call with a hands-free handset.

Dumb & Dumber: Texting Edition
A 13-year-old girl sustained first-degree burns to her stomach, leg, and arms while texting her boyfriend as she cooked noodles. She lost hold of the pot handle and the boiling water burned her skin.

A girl was riding her horse and let go of the reins to text a message. At the moment, the horse started running and she fell off. The 15-year-old suffered head and back injuries.

A 16-year-old guy walked right into a telephone pole while texting his friend. He banged his head and sustained a concussion.

DWT In some states, driving while texting is illegal. At press time, four states have banned texting while driving- Alaska, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Washington. And after the deadly accident in New York, there is a similar proposed bill to ban texting while driving there, as well as in Oregon, California, and other states.