Texting and driving must stop

I read an article of interest in The News Feb. 3 about police monitoring drivers in some intersections who text and talk on their cellphones while driving. When I’m out walking, I see people texting and talking on their phones while driving, and it bothers me because I realize the dangers. If you’re driving and your phone rings, you should just let it ring, find a safe place to pull over, then call that person back.

I suggest more people should abide by this solution. Because what’s the rush? Is there an emergency? Is there a fire somewhere? Did somebody have a heart attack? Do you have to be somewhere?

During school days, kids could be crossing the street to go to school and distracted drivers could be driving near the school not paying attention to the road, speeding, texting or talking on their phone, and this could result in a serious accident. Texting or talking on the phone while driving is just as irresponsible as driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Here are a few ideas that might help reduce the risk of these distractions. Maybe crossing guards should have radios so they can report distracted drivers to police right away. Maybe police should park at schools during the start of the day, at lunch and at the end of school to watch out for drivers texting or talking on phones. Maybe the legislature should make a law that if those drivers get caught once doing these things they should have their licence suspended for five years. Maybe if they get caught a second time they should face a suspension of 10 years.

A while ago, I saw a guy on his cellphone stopped at a traffic light while it was green. He was so busy talking on his phone he didn’t notice the light had changed. How would the people have been reacting in the cars in back of him? That is one of the results of distracted driving.

Ivan Willis, New Glasgow

North Nova Educational Centre student