Summary: I attended a texting and driving event that my COMM 334 professor put together with our campus police. The event consisted of a driving course and we had to text out a certain message.
Texting and Driving CSUF Event
While I exited Highway 57 to pick up my friend Garrett Vile, I reached down for my phone. Still driving, I texted Garrett to let him know I am almost at his apartment to pick him up. Once I approached the roundabout at his apartment complex, I see him walking up to my car. As we drove away to campus for a class event, I picked up my phone again to change the music, not thinking about any consequences that could come from this common action of mine.
Distracted driving does not only include texting and driving, but includes eating, putting makeup on, changing the music and using a navigation system. According to TeenSafe, “Current distracted driving statistics show that 80% of all car accidents are caused by the driver being distracted in some way.”
While participating in a texting and driving event at California State University, Fullerton, I learned how difficult it is to text and drive, which I do often. But this event showed me why my life has been in danger with every press of a letter.
The COMM 334 class created this event to teach students that it is not safe to text and drive. The CSUF police set up a driving course made up of orange cones arranged in an S-shape. Officer Tom Perez walked us through the purpose of the event and told us the requirements. We had to drive through the course going 10 mph while trying not to run over the cones and any obstacles. Besides driving, students must text “I love Cal State Fullerton.”
Each student had a turn to do this activity. Perez even allowed for second opportunities if you wanted to try again.
Looking around I observed everyone. I saw my professor with a big smile on his face, taking photos and recording students during the activity. My peers looked excited watching each other struggle to text and drive the danity golf cart.
Students could not stay within the lane, crushing the bright orange cones.
The first group had finished and Perez asked who wanted to go next. I raised my hand and walked over to the golf cart. Two of my peers came as well to sit in the back while I drove.
As I entered the police golf cart, I was not nervous. In my head I told myself this is easy since I text and drive all the time. It wasn’t until I put my seatbelt on, took my phone out and began driving that I started feeling nervous. Perez told me to step on the accelerator. I immediately started feeling nervous from the pressure of doing this event.
I swerved through the course. Perez said, “Come on! Step on the gas, you are only going 4 mph and you need to be going 10 mph.” As I finished the course slowly, I look down at my phone to see what I wrote. It was blank.
As someone who texts and drives everyday, I didn’t understand how was it possible that I had texted nothing while driving only 6 mph. I felt embarrassed knowing I wrote nothing while others had at least texted something.
The pressure of driving at a certain speed limit and texting made me not complete the task. The point of this event was to learn how unsafe texting and driving is.
“It really wasn’t that hard to drive a golf cart through a course and text at the same time. I actually thought it was kind of fun,” said Vile.
After taking my turn, I took a back seat and watched Vile drive. He was calm while driving. It felt so different to be the one in the back while my friend is the one texting and driving.
I am usually the one that drives my friends around. To be put in the situation of someone being responsible for my life felt surreal. It made me think how could I text and drive and put not only my life, but my friends life at risk?
Once Vile was done I walked out of the golf cart reflecting on the activity. I did not think this activity would make me a impact on my life.
As I stood on the sidelines watching my peers, I thought about how naturally texting became my routine of driving.
“I never realized how scary texting and driving could be until this event,” said Daniela Rivera.
According to officer Perez, “Statistically, 64% of the population admits to texting and driving from a study in 2016 by the National Highway Transportation Safety Advisory.”
This statistic made me feel guilty when I heard how many people make the risk of texting and driving.
Driving Vile back to his apartment after our class activity, a song started playing on Spotify that I did not want to listen to. As I reach down to get my phone to change the song, I remember that my phone can wait.
Texting and Driving CSUF Event
While I exited Highway 57 to pick up my friend Garrett Vile, I reached down for my phone. Still driving, I texted Garrett to let him know I am almost at his apartment to pick him up. Once I approached the roundabout at his apartment complex, I see him walking up to my car. As we drove away to campus for a class event, I picked up my phone again to change the music, not thinking about any consequences that could come from this common action of mine.
Distracted driving does not only include texting and driving, but includes eating, putting makeup on, changing the music and using a navigation system. According to TeenSafe, “Current distracted driving statistics show that 80% of all car accidents are caused by the driver being distracted in some way.”
While participating in a texting and driving event at California State University, Fullerton, I learned how difficult it is to text and drive, which I do often. But this event showed me why my life has been in danger with every press of a letter.
The COMM 334 class created this event to teach students that it is not safe to text and drive. The CSUF police set up a driving course made up of orange cones arranged in an S-shape. Officer Tom Perez walked us through the purpose of the event and told us the requirements. We had to drive through the course going 10 mph while trying not to run over the cones and any obstacles. Besides driving, students must text “I love Cal State Fullerton.”
Each student had a turn to do this activity. Perez even allowed for second opportunities if you wanted to try again.
Looking around I observed everyone. I saw my professor with a big smile on his face, taking photos and recording students during the activity. My peers looked excited watching each other struggle to text and drive the danity golf cart.
Students could not stay within the lane, crushing the bright orange cones.
The first group had finished and Perez asked who wanted to go next. I raised my hand and walked over to the golf cart. Two of my peers came as well to sit in the back while I drove.
As I entered the police golf cart, I was not nervous. In my head I told myself this is easy since I text and drive all the time. It wasn’t until I put my seatbelt on, took my phone out and began driving that I started feeling nervous. Perez told me to step on the accelerator. I immediately started feeling nervous from the pressure of doing this event.
I swerved through the course. Perez said, “Come on! Step on the gas, you are only going 4 mph and you need to be going 10 mph.” As I finished the course slowly, I look down at my phone to see what I wrote. It was blank.
As someone who texts and drives everyday, I didn’t understand how was it possible that I had texted nothing while driving only 6 mph. I felt embarrassed knowing I wrote nothing while others had at least texted something.
The pressure of driving at a certain speed limit and texting made me not complete the task. The point of this event was to learn how unsafe texting and driving is.
“It really wasn’t that hard to drive a golf cart through a course and text at the same time. I actually thought it was kind of fun,” said Vile.
After taking my turn, I took a back seat and watched Vile drive. He was calm while driving. It felt so different to be the one in the back while my friend is the one texting and driving.
I am usually the one that drives my friends around. To be put in the situation of someone being responsible for my life felt surreal. It made me think how could I text and drive and put not only my life, but my friends life at risk?
Once Vile was done I walked out of the golf cart reflecting on the activity. I did not think this activity would make me a impact on my life.
As I stood on the sidelines watching my peers, I thought about how naturally texting became my routine of driving.
“I never realized how scary texting and driving could be until this event,” said Daniela Rivera.
According to officer Perez, “Statistically, 64% of the population admits to texting and driving from a study in 2016 by the National Highway Transportation Safety Advisory.”
This statistic made me feel guilty when I heard how many people make the risk of texting and driving.
Driving Vile back to his apartment after our class activity, a song started playing on Spotify that I did not want to listen to. As I reach down to get my phone to change the song, I remember that my phone can wait.