On average, 43,000 people die each year in car related accidents. Many of these accidents involve alcohol or other illegal substances. However, this doesn’t always relate to the teenage drivers that are starting out behind the wheel. There is a bigger threat with teenage drivers than driving while under the influence. It’s an epidemic that just began with the start of this century. Nearly all teens own one: yes, it is the cell phone. Text messaging or talking on the phone while driving is extremely dangerous and causes the reaction time of the driver to reduce immensely. Our parents always tell us to be careful while driving, our schools tell us to be safe while driving, and even television tells us to use caution behind the wheel. So why do teens continue to text message while driving? Obviously, paying attention while driving is a key factor in safe driving. But how can you pay attention to the road if you’re concentrated on typing a message on a tiny screen? The answer is: you really can’t. Not safely, at least. In a survey of 1,000 sixteen to seventeen year olds, forty-six percent admitted to texting while driving. These numbers are not good at all, and with auto accidents being the leading cause of deaths in teens, something has to change. Texting while driving is already outlawed in eighteen states, but unfortunately not in the state of Pennsylvania. Therefore, teens (and even adults) must take this matter into their own hands to keep the roads safe. Texting while driving is just plain irresponsible and dangerous. An easy alternative is just not doing it. Texting your BFF Jill is not worth risking your life, or other drivers’ lives. There is a time and place to text, and when you’re doing fifty-five miles per hour down Rt. 65, it’s not the time nor place. If an emergency arises and it is absolutely essential to send or read a text, just pull over and do it. It may take a minute out of your day, but you might save a life by doing so. You wouldn’t drink and drive, so please don’t drive under the influence of your cellular device.