Texting and driving is dangerous–and never worth it! | Source: ShutterStock

Texting and driving is bad. We all know that, and we’ve seen that scary stuff that can come from texting and driving–everything from fender benders to death. But why do so many of us still do it?!

A study shows that the U.S. leads in texting and driving, with over 30 percent of us admitting to doing it. That means more than that amount of people actually are texting and driving, they just don’t want to say so because we know how irresponsible and dangerous it is.

Not gonna lie–I’m pretty sensitive about texting and driving because a pretty dumb girl totaled her car with my brother in the passenger seat because she was texting and driving. Luckily no one got hurt, but it could have gotten really ugly. (And I will be honest: If she had survived and he didn’t, she would not have survived what I’d have done to her afterward.)

Even just talking on the phone without your hands makes you lose your focus and concentration on the road, so you can imagine how bad texting and driving makes you behind the wheel–because that means your hands and eyes are off of the road and all the cars, trucks, pedestrians and squirrels in front of you. Yikes!

There are alternatives to texting and driving and ways around it. Here are things to do instead of texting and driving, because sending someone “LOL”–even your crush–isn’t worth the potential disaster (or death) that it may bring. It can wait!

1. Get a text-to-speech app.
Chances are nothing you’re getting is that urgent, but if you really need to respond to a text or an email while you’re driving, nab one of these. They let your phone read messages and emails to you out loud, and you can respond via voice command, so you can keep your eyes on the road. ShoutOut is a good one to try!

2. Set up a text auto-reply.
You can find apps for these depending on what kind of phone you have, and they let you send an automated reply to any text you receive while it’s on. You can activate it when you first get in the car–before you start moving, obviously–so everyone will know that you’re not ignoring them, you’re just too responsible to even try texting and driving.

3. Have a pal reply for you!
If you’ve got your BFF along for the ride and you get a text from your crush, chances are you’re going to analyze it with her anyway, right? Tell her what to say and have her send it!

4. Either turn your phone off or silence it, then hide your phone inside your purse. In the backseat.
You don’t want to go overboard and throw it in the trunk or anything in case of an emergency–you may not feel safe getting out of your car in certain areas, especially if you’re alone. But keeping your phone out of your sight and so you can’t hear your notifications will make you less likely to steal glances at it while you’re on the move.

5. Get another distraction that’s less dangerous.
I’m just saying–I can sing and bop my head along to One Direction with my hands on the wheel and my eyes on the road. And I highly recommend it.

Are you guilty of texting and driving? What are your alternatives to texting and driving? Have you ever been in an accident caused by texting and driving? Tell us in the comments!

Texting and driving isn’t the only bad cell phone behavior!

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