According to a recent Harris Poll by Volvo, members of Generation X are more likely to use their phones while driving than Millennials are. Who's guilty? Me, and almost every other forty-something person I know. Parents were found to be the worst offenders. This doesn't surprise me. I know someone who's checking email at every red light-into-green light-transition, and sometimes even driving with his knee. I see people my age texting on the highway. Don't you? I must do better. GenX must do better. Some of us now have teens in driving school and on the roads.
You would think we wouldn't be so tempted to text and email when we're behind the wheel. After all, when we started driving, there were no phones to check! We just drove around, hoping we'd run into people (not literally) or find the next party on a Saturday night. Maybe we'd stop for frozen yogurt (remember when it first "came out?" TCBY, anyone?) before getting someone to buy us wine coolers (i'll stop here to say, to our credit, though, we always had a designated driver). Our parents didn't even try to reach us. There was nothing electronic to respond to (that almost sounds kind of nice and relaxing, but crazy).
But before I get too nostalgic, let's get back to what we are guilty of today. It's incredibly dangerous, driving and texting, and we owe it to our generation and every other generation out on the road to be more careful, mindful and smart. I will start today. Several people I know use apps and iPhone features to tell people when they're driving. I will install mine today.
