My Biggest Accomplishment This Year: No Cell Phone while Driving

I wish every blog post could be funny but life just isn't always about being funny; we have many responsibilities that should be taken very seriously and this is one of them.

I made a pledge to myself, husband, family and friends:  

I pledge not to use my cell phone while driving.

I turn my phone off so I can't even hear it ring.  At first, I left the phone on and just looked to see who was calling.  Well, I was just fooling myself into believing this was enough.  If the phone rang, I was distracted enough to have no time to react to sudden change in traffic conditions.   Now I just turn off my phone. 

I had made this decision not to talk or text because recently someone who was on the phone almost hit me and it would have been a very serious car accident.  I was so angry at this woman who barely missed me and was not aware of the traffic.  What was she talking about that was more important than our lives?  I knew I had not one conversation on my phone while driving that was worth endangering someone's life.  So I made the decision right at that moment to stop using my phone while driving.  Honestly, I feel much better about myself now that I'm not part of the problem anymore.  It's a proven fact that texting or talking while driving is dangerous and yet more people than not still carry on down this dangerous path thinking it won't happen to them or that they are in control. Please just check out the many videos on YouTube about texting or talking on cell phones while driving and you will see plenty of the people who thought the same thing.  Anyone of them would love to have back that second before they picked up the cell phone while driving to prevent an accident but unfortunately, there is no "do-over" in this situation.   

Are you part of the problem?  All of us can make plenty of excuses why we need to use the phone in the car.  But they are just that: excuses.  Don't fool youself with your excuses of why you need to be on that cell phone while driving.   How many conversations have you had while driving that were truly urgent enough to put other people in danger...?  

When I made my pledge, I thought it would be great to get others to pledge too.   So I went on Twitter and Facebook and offered the first person who took this pledge a free steering wheel cover from my Etsy's store.  Guess how many pledged?  Sadly, not one person.  I twitted a few more days about it and again no one took the pledge.  Well, the good news is no one lied and said they would and really weren't planning to take this seriouly.  But I'm really upset to think that all my friends and family didn't take it.  I realize it's an inconvience not to chat/text while driving but driving is our only responsibility while in the driver's seat.  How would you feel if a loved one was injured by a driver who was on a cell phone?  

If nothing I am writing touches you in a way that makes you want to take this pledge please watch this.....