Every single day in the USA, nine people are killed in crashes involving a distracted driver. When someone sends a text and takes his or her eyes off the road for five seconds at 55 miles per hour, that person drives the length of a football field, without looking. No wonder it’s so deadly.

In Idaho, it’s against the law to text message someone while driving, which means you can’t review, prepare, or send a written communication while operating a moving motor vehicle. A ticket for this infraction will typically cost $81.50. And if your carelessness while texting contributes to the death of another person, you could be  charged with vehicular manslaughter.

The Emergency Department at Madison Memorial receives people every year who are victims of accidents in which inattentive driving was involved. We’re ready to jump in and help deal with the resulting traumatic injuries, but it’s better if everyone in our local community can avoid such problems in the first place. It’s such a simple thing, to not text, or eat, or otherwise be inattentive, while behind the wheel.

Let’s each of us do our part to keep our wonderful community safe.