Dear Reverend,
I don’t currently own a vehicle, so I am often a passenger in other people’s cars. One of my friends constantly texts, looks at posts and does who knows what else on her phone while she’s driving. It’s like she can’t keep her hands off the thing, and it makes me really uncomfortable. When I’ve mentioned it, she says she does it all the time and acts like it’s no big deal. I love going places with her, but it can really stress me out. Am I overreacting?
Nervous Nellie (woman, 38)
Dear Nervous Nellie,
Swap the cellphone for a bottle of booze in this situation, and I don’t think you would be questioning your feelings. If your friend were drinking behind the wheel, I’d hope you wouldn’t get in the car with her and that you would do whatever it took to prevent her from driving. Well, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that driving while texting is six times more dangerous than driving drunk, so you have every reason to be concerned.
Your friend may think it’s no big deal, but taking your eyes off the road for even a few seconds can be extremely dangerous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nine people in the United States are killed every day in automobile accidents that involve distracted driving. In 2021, 3,522 people died and more than 362,000 people were injured in such crashes. That’s nothing to shrug off.
Your pal needs to realize that when she uses her phone while driving, she’s a danger to herself and everyone around her. Remind her that if she got caught, she could get fined. Offer to drive her car. Tell her that you aren’t going anywhere with her unless she puts her phone away while driving.
If she reaches for her phone again while you’re in the car, take matters — and the phone — into your own hands: Take it away from her and toss it in the back seat.
Good luck and God bless,
The Reverend
This article appears in Oct 25-31, 2023.
