Though many people think that texting and driving only affects teenagers, they are wrong. One example is five-year-old Xavier. He cannot breathe without the help of a ventilator because, as he was walking to the park one day with his 13-year-old sister a woman, who was texting and driving, hit Xavier. The message the woman was texting? “I’m on my way”.

Though many young drivers believe crashes like this one will never happen to them, they should be aware of the consequences that may come with such actions. To aid this effort, Harriton has introduced a variety of campaigns to help raise awareness about the dangers of texting and driving.

In 2008, there were 1,298 crashes involving drivers ranging from the ages 16 to 19. These accidents were all the result of distracted driving, says Edgar Sydner and Associates Law Firm. Even if the accident resulted in no deaths, a citation is still issued for the offense. In fact, 111 citations for distracted driving were given out in Montgomery country between 2012 and 2013. Distracted drivers in Pennsylvania are also required to pay a fine of $50 and court costs of $90. This would definitely not be a good start to a driving record.

Positioned in front of the student parking lot entrance, as many of you may have noticed, is a shattered red Toyota Rav-4, boasting a number to call if you encounter troubles with texting while driving. While this is only a model of what could happen, thousands of people nationwide die every year due to texting while driving accidents. Imagine living with the guilt of paralyzing a child, like Xavier, or killing an innocent pedestrian. “Unfortunately, when we think to ourselves, ‘I’ll just do it this one time,’ we are fooling ourselves,” police chief Jerry Garner says. In addition to the texting and driving information, the school is trying to encourage students to buckle-up behind the wheel. Police officers handed out cards during lunch to remind students the importance of using a seatbelt.

Texting while behind the wheel makes you twenty three times more likely to crash, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Remember, while texting and driving is illegal and looks bad on a record, the effects on the lives of the victims and their families are far worse.