Responsible Young Driver (RYD) Program

A few weeks ago we held our spring session of the Responsible Young Driver (RYD) Program at Ryle.  Each semester we invite our students turning 16 years old to a birthday party during which we invite a guest speaker to discuss the dangers of driving and the importance of making smart choices.  Afterwards we enjoy some refreshments and spend a few minutes relaxing.

In our future versions of RYD we must remember to include using cell phones in automobiles.  It's not a great leap of logic to know that texting or talking on a cell phone while driving is dangerous. 

What many people may not know is that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol or marijuana, according to a study by the Transport Research Laboratory.  The study results found, for those texting and driving, reaction times were 35% slower, increasing the likelihood of an accident.  By comparison, alcohol consumption to the legal limit has reaction times that were 12% slower.  Marijuana slowed reaction times by 21%.

Here's a few other interesting pieces of data . . .

• Those who use cell phones while driving are 4 times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves according to the National Highway Safety Administration.
• Driving while using a cell phone reduces by 37% the amount of brain activity associated with driving, cited in a study from Carnegie Mellon University.
• The #1 source of driver inattention, according to a study by Virginia Tech and the NHTSA, is use of a wireless device.
• Texting while driving driving is illegal in numerous states and nearly all have legislation proposed or pending to make it illegal.

However, the most compelling argument may be that we all need to set the example for the future young drivers sitting in our cars.

Homelife magazine (April 2010) pages 70-71