Did you make any new years resolutions this winter? For the driving safety parent, cutting down on your child’s use of cell phones behind the wheel is a great resolution option. Each year, more than 6,000 teenagers are killed and nearly half a million are injured in accidents related to distracted driving. And safety advocates have said that many of these accidents can be avoided simply by raising awareness. Now, Glee star Jane Lynch has joined the fight against cell phone misuse in a series of videos produced by LG designed to help parents boost cell phone safety for their teens.
Lynch’s stated goal of the “Text Ed” videos is to “guide parents through the pitfalls of mobile phone misuse” with segments that focus on sexting, mobile harassment, and texting while driving. The most recent video, which tackles distracted driving, quips that in addition to being dangerous, it’s simply a faux pas, “kind of like chewing with your mouth open or shaving in public.” Lynch also warns that some teens pick up the bad behavior from their parents, as 70 percent of teens accuse their parents of texting behind the wheel.
LG’s Text Ed web site also provides an a library of articles and tips related to teen cell phone use, and a list of facts about dangerous phone use. One fact states, for example, that although 45 percent of teenagers admit to texting while driving, only 4 percent of parents believe that their child has engaged in the taboo practice. Finally, LG suggests that parents establish a set of ground rules for cell phone use before these problems arise. To help with the dangers of distracted driving, we have set up a parent teen safe driving contract, to monitor difficult questions about distracted driving, speed, and permitted passengers.
Check out LG’s text ed video on distracted driving starring Jane Lynch:
Andy Gillin received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Berkeley and his law degree from the University of Chicago. He is the managing partner of GJEL Accident Attorneys and has written and lectured in the field of plaintiffs’ personal injury law for numerous organizations. Since 1972 he has been helping seriously injured victims throughout northern California fight & win their personal injury cases. Andy is one of the top awarded & recognized wrongful death lawyers in northern California.