When is it Okay?
Texting and Driving is illegal in the state of Illinois, yet has still become a social norm for many adult and young drivers in our world today. How dangerous could it be to send a quick text to a friend, snapchat your tedious commute to school, or to update your Facebook status about the attitude your barista gave you that same morning. Having asked 10 anonymous CUC students about their driving habits, I learned that only one of them did not text and drive. Whether we like to admit it or not, being on a phone while driving is something that the majority of our driver population does which has made it more acceptable than it once was. 6 of the 10 students interviewed then said that they would not feel safe if their driver was on their phone while driving which would leave them with a stronger sense of responsibility for the other people in the car.
Passengers While Driving
Being a passenger in a car has a whole different meaning that it once had. Before, a passenger could simply sit a car and trust their driver to take them where they need to go, but in today’s society it seems that cars are now filled with multiple drivers that are responsible for their own lives and the lives of others. I set up a scenario for some CUC students: If you got into a car accident while the driver was texting and driving, how would you feel if the driver blamed you for the accident? Surprisingly all 10 students took at least partial responsibility for the hypothetical accident answer responding with, “Well if I knew the driver was on their phone I should have been watching the road,” or “I decided to get into that car so I should have some responsibility on me too.” Not all have subconsciously realized this new role as a passenger, but many have succumbed to responsibility this new job entails. Whether or not we find it okay to text and drive, it will continue to happen, so proceed with caution and take your new role as a secondary driver as you enter a car, or be the change.
