Cellular Telephones vs. Driver Education

Cellular telephones are the new cigarettes and they can be just as dangerous if used while driving. Everyone knows about cigarettes. They stink, they are addictive, and they can’t be ignored even if you’re a non-smoker. And, they can kill people. Today, many drivers face a new killer – cell phones.

Patrick Barrett, founder of Driver Ed in a Box®, www.drivecollisionfree.com, stated “I had a father-in-law who had a choice - he could stop smoking or lose his leg. He was informed of this choice in time to save his leg. He gave up his leg but not his cigarettes. How addictive can it be that they can’t give it up and make a better choice?” In Mr. Barrett’s opinion, “If you are a non-smoker and someone’s smoking outside in the hall, you smell it and you’re subjected to second-hand smoke. Cigarettes kill people. Regardless of what tobacco companies claim, most people believe cigarettes kill people.”

Cell phones do the same thing. They are addictive. As an adult, you can remember life without cell phones. Most young people can’t remember life without cell phones. Cell phones become addictive because people think they can’t live without them.

“Cell phones can’t be ignored either. If you’re in a crowd you hear half of the conversation whether you want to or not. Your brain can’t ignore the conversation easily and it becomes distracting” according to Mr. Barrett.

Mr. Barrett explained, “In a vehicle, they have the same effect. This is why many states have banned the use of cell phones for minors while driving a car. Some places have limited bans for adults using cell phones while driving. The fact is, even when a driver, especially a young driver, hears a cell phone ring, the question is who is it? That runs through their mind and creates a tremendous distraction.”

Do cell phones kill people? No, vehicles kill people – or is it the drivers of vehicles who kill people? Cell phones are so addictive that drivers cannot seem to put them down and the use of them contributes to a number of collisions due to significant distractions, most of which is in the mind of the driver. This is even a challenge for experienced drivers.

For more information about the use of cell phones and driving, please see our Blog at www.drivecollisionfree.com. For teenagers, cell phones and driving are like drinking and driving – a deadly combination.

Can anything be done to make teens safe drivers?

A Texas study demonstrates that certain teen drivers have fewer crashes, wrecks and collisions. According to the Texas study, these teens use a product called Driver Ed in a Box®. Mr. Barrett states “Parents who follow the Driver Ed in a Box® program provide nine months to a year of extended supervised training to teach their teen to drive. And fortunately, our product walks you through the complete process step by step.”

According to Mr. Barrett, “A review of the driving records of the graduates of our parent-taught driver education course, Driver Ed in a Box®, shows that our 16 year old graduates have a collision rate of only 1.7%. Studies show that 16 year old drivers in the state of Texas using other methods of driver education have a collision rate of 11.4%.” This study can be viewed at www.drivecollisionfree.com.

About Driver Ed in a Box, LLC:
Driver Ed in a Box, LLC was started by Patrick L. Barrett (Pat), a nationally known expert in training for collision-free driving. We are a company with a mission to provide families with the knowledge and tools necessary to build the habits of safe, collision-free driving.

Contact Information

Patrick Barrett

Owner

Driver Ed in a Box

Contact via E-mail