When you hit the road, don't hit send

Congrats to all the graduates of 2012!

Please be safe on the road this summer. Your life and plans and your dreams are worth it!

I've told a couple of my friends not to text and drive or Google and drive and we all could use a reminder, espeically in this fast-pace, now, now, now, go, go, go world we live in that can cause so many distractions that can make us forget about what really matters. Like our lives and the lives of others. It's easy to be distracted and put aside what's most important. I'm not saying that's an excuse for being careless though. When you're in the car remember it's okay to tell your friend who is about to send a text message while driving, "Don't send that now, send it later."

When you sit in your friend's car passenger seat you are giving your friend trust on your life. But it's not only about your life, it's about the lives of others that should be on the driver's mind and you can and should speak up if your friend is texting, checking email on their phone or Googling something while on the road.

Some ways to tell your friends not to text and drive and prevent a car accident or worse.

First, if you are on a road trip or going somewhere and need an address, plan ahead and get the address before you hit the road.  Tell your friend what exit to look for and hold the directions. Your friend shouldn't be holding their phone and glancing down at the directions or GPS on their phone while driving, you can actually get you a ticket in some states for using a GPS on your phone and did you know that using a GPS on your phone while driving can be extremely dangerous? Read this.

-Offer to use your phone and you  (the passenger) send the text instead. If you have the same friends, you could just use your own phone and tell the driver to focus on the road. Although this can also be a distraction to the driver to see you texting, especially if the driver asks to see the text you are about to send, remember it's better if the driver focuses on the road and has their eyes looking ahead not down at a cellphone at any time while driving.

-Feel weird telling your friends not to text and drive? Then try this:
Before you get in the car get all the texting out of your system. So encourage your friend to finish the text before starting the car.
Tell your friend/the driver, "Let's pull over real quick and send it."
Or, "Wait, don't send it now, send it later, when we stop at the...gas station, store, etc."
-When your driver friend sends a text message before you both get in the car, remind your friend to include in the text, "I'll be driving but I'll text you back when I get there." Or "I'll be on my way, so if I don't respond right away it's cause I'm on the road."
When you hit the road, please don't hit send. 

Your life and the lives of others is worth a lot more than the risk.
~Isobella


http://www.petitemodelingtips.com/2012/06/does-your-phone-run-your-life-can-you.html

Check out the book trailer for my new book Careful, about the spirit of a girl who has died in a texting and driving crash.