Distracted Driving: How Teens Can Be The Solution to a Common Problem

Nine people die every day in this country due to distracted driving.

People of all ages and all walks of life. Drivers attempt to justify distracted driving – often subconsciously – by saying things to themselves like, “I probably won’t cause a car accident if I look at my phone real quick”, or “The chances are only 1 in 1,000 of hurting someone if I send this text message.” But do the math; how many times will each of us get behind the wheel this year? Likely, more than a thousand and that doesn’t take into account the millions of other drivers with whom we share the road. This is quickly becoming a problem of epic proportions.

One Fort Worth attorney is waging a personal war on this problem. Travis Patterson of Patterson Law Group has taken it upon himself to educate the young people of Texas to try to eradicate the pandemic of distracted driving.

“At our law office, we see the results of distracted driving all the time and it is heartbreaking”, says Patterson, a well-known personal injury attorneys in the state of Texas. “We represent people who have been permanently injured or the loved ones of people who have died because of distracted driving and I needed to do something to help.”

After meeting a fellow attorney from Pennsylvania whose daughter was killed by a distracted driver, Patterson became involved with the organization set up in the deceased girl’s memory. Patterson is going from city to city and school to school to educate young drivers about the dangers of distracted driving. “I show them scary statistics to make them think twice about picking up their phones while they’re driving. I also tell them it is not just a young person problem but that the young people are the solution to the problem. This generation of young people are open-minded and considerate of others. We give them tools to talk to their parents and friends when they feel like they are in an unsafe situation.’

Patterson’s presentation is impactful. 92% of attendees say they will now think before they allow themselves to be distracted and that they will talk to other drivers if they find themselves as a passenger to a distracted driver. That is a huge number. In order to reach the most young drivers possible Patterson’s strategy is to get speaking slots at high schools. Sometimes this isn’t so easy. While his presentation only takes about 50 minutes, school schedules are busy and there is little time for students to take time away from their classes.

This is where Patterson’s one-man war needs assistance. “The private schools have initially been more receptive as they are smaller and usually more flexible. What I want to do is get parents to help me get into the bigger public schools”, says Patterson. “I need them to hammer the administrators about this. Show them how important of an issue it is with the parents so I can get in there and help educate these kids.” In short, Patterson needs all of us to help him spread the word.

Issues touted as “dangerous to children” are often portrayed hyperbolically. This issue is demonstrably dangerous to all of us. The previous generation has done an excellent job of demonizing drunk driving. It is up to the next generation to do the same for distracted driving. But they have to be educated first and Travis Patterson is paving the way to get them the message they so desperately need to hear.

To learn more or to have Travis speak at your school, please contact him at travis@pattersonpersonalinjury.com or by phone at 817-784-2000