Okay, you’ve heard about MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) but have you heard of MATM (Mothers Against Text Messaging)?
Okay, it doesn’t exist yet, but the driving laws are totally against driving and texting, but how many people are still doing it? Can you say too many? And notice I didn’t use “one too many” as the consensus is way too many are still doing it!
I did a little investigating myself to find out if people are still getting into accidents while they are driving because they are texting and the answer is a big yes! Furthermore, I asked several cops as to whom the culprits are who usually are the ones texting while driving, and was told females usually between 18 to 24 years old. I was told guys do it as well, but just not as much. All the same, both are doing it and some more than others and this is leading to bad driving and accidents. Moms, this is where you come in! Get a group together that promotes mothers against text messaging because people, including your own kids are getting hurt or hurting others!
I was curious as to why people, especially young women can’t seem to just stop, even just for a bit when they are driving.
After asking many young women I learned that for the most part they text and drive, and text and do anything for that matter (hopefully not during sex or sleeping) because they have an emotional/social addiction to texting. Yes, you heard me right and probably knew about the addiction part already but an emotional one to boot! Why this emotional/social addiction part?
I learned that the parameters of the socialization process are centered around text messaging and politeness.
In fact, the quality of politeness can be replaced with “promptness”. There is a supposed “understanding” that when someone texts you that you have to reply back as fast as you can because this proves you are listening and showing care/concern. It’s kind of like getting the last word in edgewise and it appears this is more of a young woman thing to do!
Herein lies the problem or issue that some people just can’t go long enough, meaning driving even without texting. Since the quality of texts are shorter because they have to be faster, they are not emotionally laden in content and often times requires explanations which further instigates more texting. So in a nutshell–one texts to be heard, responds to be polite, texts again to explain and eyes come off the road…crash! As one woman put it, “When you start texting, you just don’t want to miss anything!” Ah, what about that car’s bumper you just missed by a “lol” text message?
Dr. Peter Sacco is a contributing blogger for JenningsWire.