JUST SAY NO (to texting while driving)!

I apologize in advance for this kind of blog entry, but I have really been convicted lately and wanted to share. Embarassingly, I have to give Oprah credit for this conviction. (A benefit/curse of being a teacher is that you get home by 4 to watch Oprah...she's like a siren...you just get sucked in!) Anyway, she's got a new campaign to encourage people to sign a pledge to not text/talk while driving. She has interviewed people on her show that have lost loved ones in car accidents because the person that hit them was texting/emailing. I can't imagine losing someone I love for that reason and I really can't imagine ever forgiving someone for taking away a loved one because they couldn't put their phone down. But what if I was that person? What if I was the person who accidentally took a life because I was reading an e-mail or text? I just can't be that person.

Once being convicted, I realized how much I use my phone while driving and it's downright scary. Even though I've committed to not text/email while driving, I still struggle and I really have to think about it but, I just realized that most things aren't important enough to risk lives. If it is important, it's easy to just pull over and take care of it, then get on the road again.

No need to sign Oprah's pledge if you don't want to, but please make a pledge to yourself. From now on, no more texting/emailing when driving. I know it's hard for those of you that work a lot out of your car, but it's just not worth the risks. I think about my best friend's children or my niece and nephews, and even my dog...I can't risk someone taking them away from me because they were making a stupid decision.
 
Hugs-
LeighAnne
 
Oprah's No Phone Zone Pledge