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To prevent texting and driving accidents, the public needs more exposure

Imagine that you are meeting your friends at Skipper's and you are running late. You are driving a little faster than you should, and your phone is buzzing and beeping with incoming messages asking where you are.

You decide to send them a quick text that you are down the street, and fail to notice the student starting to walk out into the road. Next thing you know, that one text has changed countless lives.

These accidents occur every year, and the number of deaths caused by texting while driving continues to climb. The Because Texting and Driving Kills organization found that if you are texting while driving, it is 23 times more likely you will get in an accident. The Cohen Children's Medical Center declared in 2013, that texting while driving is the number one cause of teenage deaths. Even though the danger and statistics about accidents from texting while driving continue to climb, the interest and news coverage of the issue is rapidly declining.

Why is there hardly any news coverage of texting while driving occurrences? Did other events become prioritized in the news? Has society become so desensitized to the deaths of young adults in automobile accidents because of texting and driving, that they are no longer fazed by the stories?

In a college town where many students walk to all their destinations, it may be hard to be concerned and stay informed about the issue. It does not help that to find information about the latest occurrences in texting while driving, one must specifically search for it and dig through other various news articles. This seems like a disservice to the public, since this information could save lives.

Texting while driving is still a very pressing and prominent matter that should have proper news coverage to keep people aware and informed. Even though it is not being told in the news, many new and innovative things are being implemented every year to try and decrease the statistics. Organizations such as It Can Wait are being funded and supported. People who have been affected by texting and driving accidents are speaking out and trying to tell the world their stories. New texting and driving laws in various states are being passed and making phone usage while driving illegal. There are a text messaging bans in 42 of the states, including Ohio. Cell phone applications are being created, that allow the phone to detect when it is in a moving car, and will then shut down all the different distracting functions, including texting. Is none of this no longer news worthy?

How can people follow the laws if they are not informed about what is happening around them? How can people be informed and safe drivers if they are not aware of the dangers and consequences of their actions? Every time a teenager gets in the car, there is a chance they will believe they can send a quick text and still manage to drive at the same time. Or maybe someone in the other oncoming car thinks the same thing.

Do not wait until it is too late. Do not wait to see a familiar face involved in a texting and driving accident to regret not being informed. Seek out more information about texting while driving and push for more news coverage. Are you willing to risk your life, your friend's, your parent's, or your child's life behind the wheel? Get involved and stay informed, one day you may end up saving a life.

Shannon LaGassa

lagasssl@miamioh.edu