I have to admit that I’m VERY attached to my cell phone. The other day I accidentally left it at home while I went out and ran some errands, and I couldn’t believe how many times I reached for it, only to realize that it wasn’t there. I was only gone for 20 minutes, but, by the time I was done at one store, I decided to run home to get it. I might be addicted to it. My wife clearly pointed out that I needed to be a better example to my teen daughter who is going to be driving soon. Mom and Dad, put your cell phone on silent and put it in your glove compartment. Make your kids do it, too. That’ll promote healthy conversations, not mobile gamers.
Jonathan Eddy
Monday, April 9, 2018 12:10 PM
Much as I sympathize with the sentiment, access to gps enabled E-911 is critical in this day and age. A cell phone in a glovebox is difficult to access behind a deployed airbag. To be even more morbid: In a head on collision, the driver may not be conscious, and the driver's cell phone not accessible. It's safer for young passengers to keep their cell phones in their pockets. Also research suggest that all conversations while driving are distracting, as hands-free devices do not have a statistically significant effect on avoidable collisions. The difference between hands-free and a person in the front seat is that the person in the front seat serves as an extra pair of eyes on the road, with their own driving experience and habits of observation. A child who lacks both in the experience and observational habits in front seat may be somewhat more safe than driving while talking to someone not there, but it is not as safe as driving with a spouse or other adult.
So, conversing with a child in the car can be dangerous, and a child not having access to gps-enabled 911 even more so. Talk only if you need to, and keep the phones pocketed and silenced. Cell phones do not belong in the glove box under any circumstances.
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