By Samantha Schwartz ’16

Five seconds is the minimum amount of time a driver’s attention is taken away from the road when sending a text message while driving. When driving 55 mph, those five seconds are equivalent to driving the length of a football field without looking at the road.

Distracted driving is an incredibly dangerous activity. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website states that “each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,060 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.”

Maryland has two primary laws prohibiting handheld devices and texting usage while driving. One bans the usage of handheld devices and cell phones for all drivers and the other bans texting for all drivers. New teen drivers are required to take driver’s education so they become well aware of these laws. However, in a survey by The Warrior, many students admitted to breaking these laws as they use their phone in some way while driving. One Sherwood student, wanting to remain anonymous, stated that it’s safe to talk on the phone “as long as you have a Bluetooth and can truly multitask.”

Though some students express confidence in using technology while driving, a significant portion of students reported on the survey that they do not think it safe to use their phones while driving. “When texting you are distracted and you could get into a crash and potentially hurt yourself or someone else,” said junior Morgan Henry on the survey.

Junior Sophie Mezebish believes that a driver can still be safe as long as he or she still concentrates on driving. “You still can pay full attention to the road as long as the conversation is short,” said Mezebish.

While many students take the risk, a large number of Sherwood students obey the rules of the road by not texting or talking on the phone while driving. “Using your phone leads to distractions which unfortunately leads to accidents,” noted junior Caitlin Romeo on her survey.

The number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes was 3,328 in 2012. An estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. This was a nine-percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in 2011.

The results of the student survey and the published data seem to indicate a disconnect between the law and some student beliefs regarding the risks related to cell phone use while driving. Many organizations want to spread awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, including National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS). The Federal Communication Commission’s website stated “[NOYS is] a coalition of national organizations, business and industry leaders, and federal partners that focus on youth health and safety” and further elaborated on their mission against distracted driving.