Human Relations Media Blog
Information and Resources for Guidance Counselors & Health Teachers
Hang Up & Drive
Posted on February 20th 2013
Distracted Driving:
Distracted driving is defined as any activity that deters attention away from driving, including eating, talking to other passengers, talking on the phone, texting, changing channels on the radio, putting on makeup, or reaching for something away from the driver's seat.
Cell phone usage has skyrocketed in distracted driving cases, with texting-while-driving and talking-while-driving incidents occurring everyday, nationwide.
The Facts:
- Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the US.
- About 35,000 teens have died in car accidents over the past 5 years.
- Texting while driving makes you 4x as likely to cause a crash
- Over 90% of teens admit to multitasking while driving. This includes texting, talking, surfing the web, eating, using iPods and changing radio stations.
- The deadliest months for teen car crashes are the summer months of June, July & August.
California Law / Florida Law:
As of February 20, 2013, California Law Makers have gone further than any other state to limit cell phone usage among teens in cars. Under new California law, teen drivers are prohibited from talking-while-driving, even with a hands-free device. A second state law already prohibits texting-while-driving.
On the other side of the spectrum, Florida is one of the only states that has not prohibited texting-while-driving. However, lawmakers are now considering a ban.
What You Can Do:
Start a conversation in your classroom about distracted driving. Even if students don't fess up right away, have them make an argument for why texting-and-driving is wrong, despite its varied legal status.
HRM Video is proud to announce a new program about distracted driving. Hang Up and Drive, for grades 7-College, tells the real-life stories of texting and talking-while-driving. In May 2008, Jacy Good and her parents were enjoying Jacy's college graduation day. But the day was shattered when another car crashed into the Good’s vehicle killing both of Jacy’s parents and sending her to the hospital in a coma. The driver of the other car was talking on his cell phone.
Jacy suffered traumatic brain injury that left her with physical, speech, and cognitive impairments that forever changed by her life. This video tells Jacy’s story through dramatizations and interviews with her and her fiancé. Jacy talks directly to teens about the facts and deadly consequences of distracted driving as only someone with her experience can. This is a must see video about a preventable danger that almost every teen will face.
