According to the Department of Transportation, 11 teen drivers die everyday due to distracted driving. Distracted driving is the cause of 21 percent of accidents involving teen drivers. At any given time, approximately 660,000 drivers are attempting to use their cell phones while driving. Distracted driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than drunk driving, while teens are already four times more likely to get in an accident. That makes every teen four times more likely to get in an accident if distracted than an adult. Being a teen driver, I get scared for my own life and others lives when I see people driving distracted be it on the highway, back roads, or in town.

Distracted driving is not limited to just your cell phone. It also includes putting on makeup, eating, drinking, talking to passengers, reading and adjusting your GPS, adjusting the radio station, changing the volume, and so many more. Distracted driving is as dangerous as being blindfolded while walking across a narrow log. Distracted driving is a problem because it is now the leading cause of teen deaths in the United States at more than 3,000 fatalities a year. Among the 3,000 deaths, there are 300,000 injuries due to distracted driving.

Don’t text anyone while driving, don’t call anyone while driving, don’t use your phone while driving, don’t put makeup on while driving. I want us to be the generation that ends distracted driving. When you are in your car, put your cell phone down, get the volume on your music at the right level before you put your car in drive, keep your eyes on the road. If you get a text and it’s just that important, pull over and respond, don’t respond while you’re driving. This subject is important for teens in the United States because at some point in their lives, they will all drive. As a teen driver, I see people driving distracted every day and I can’t help but wonder what is more important than your own or another humans life.

Cheyanne Canell, Woodinville