Most people are so glued to their phones that it almost seems impossible to go a few hours, even minutes, without checking their phones. Most of the time it is OK to check your phone. The only time you should never, ever check your phone is while you are driving.

Today, I am talking to you about texting and driving and how it causes a lot of people to crash on the road. In fact, the National Safety Council recorded that driving while using a cell phone causes 1.6 million crashes every year. Most people feel the vibration or see the light and they decide to check their phone really fast, thinking that it is not going to do much, but those split seconds with your eyes off the road can cause a car crash.

The reason this is such a big problem is because it causes too many people to focus on their phones rather than the road. Drivers are supposed to be paying attention to the road and not be distracted by their phones. Eleven teens die every day due to texting and driving. It is a crazy-high number for teens to die that many times a day. We need to reduce this number by raising the penalty for being caught texting and driving. If you spot someone texting and driving or you know someone that texts and drives, tell them politely to stop using there phone. Help reduce the risk of texting and driving.

DeAngelo Montalvo,

Snohomish