Texting while driving as a social problem Essay

Social Issue
Nearly 50% of all teenagers regularly send text messages while driving. Though fortysix states in the United States currently have laws banning this act, teenagers are not deterred by them. In fact, people under the age of twenty consist of the largest proportion of drivers that text while driving. Because potentially being fined nearly $200 is not lowering rates of distracted drivers, One Text, One Life aims to take a different approach to address this social issue. One Text, One Life will attempt to use community storytelling as a method of raising awareness to this issue, educating young people on its implications, and as a result, transforming their driving actions to be safer. By taking this initiative, One Text, One Life hopes that the Saint Mary's College of California community will be strengthened and bonded by this effort to make the roads safer for everyone.
Project Objectives
One Text, One Life is a revolutionary storytelling project because it was designed with multiple objectives in mind. Primarily, the initiative hopes to raise awareness about the severity of these actions. Texting while driving has many negative and deadly implications all of which can be prevented. By raising awareness, we hope to reduce the number of people that drive while distracted. Consequently, we could reduce the number of car accidents that occur due to texting and driving, and potentially save lives.
Since 2010, the number of drivers that text while on the road has only increased. One Text, One Life hopes that community storytelling will provide an outlet for both those affected by texting and driving, and those that wish to stop doing it. Members who have family or friends that have been victims of a texting while driving car accident can benefit from the solidarity that our project hopes to achieve. Similarly, members who have guilt over their repeated distracted driving will gain a sense of relief from sharing their story. One Text, One Life wishes to create a community that encompasses the elements of solidarity and trust. If the community listens to these real stories, then they will be inspired to reevaluate their actions when behind the wheel.
One Text, One Life aims to educate the community about the consequences of distracted driving. With the use of statistical data and personal stories, members will be able to realize just how deadly a quick "Hello!" message to a friend can be. Finally, we wish to transform the actions of teenage drivers. So many of them are accustomed to replying quickly to their text messages, but it is essential for them to realize that this could cost them their lives. By raising awareness and educating these young adults, hopefully One Text, One Life's impact will be great enough that they refuse to look at their flashing screens while on the road. This social issue affects everyone in the Saint Mary's College of California community and One Text, One Life is excited to create both a safer Moraga, and a safer world.