A Pledge

I saw this pledge in Parents magazine this past month and it made me think how often we drive with our little ones on the road. Many of us careless without realizing the harm we place our children and ourselves in. I ask you to read this, take it in, ask yourself if you do any of these things, and take this pledge. Your children's lives and yours are too important...

Distracted driving is thought to be the cause of 80% of all crashes. For my family and the drivers, passengers, and pedestrians around me, I promise to cut back on distractions while I'm behind the wheel.

From now on, when I'm driving I will not:

• Use my cell phone or any handheld device
• Fiddle with my GPS
• Change CD's or DVD's
• Retrieve objects from the floor on the glove box
• Put on makeup or fix my hair
• Do anything that takes my focus off the road

If I'm a passenger in a car with a driver who breaks these rules, I'll speak up.

When it comes to the children in my car, I will not:

• Pass toys or snacks to kids sitting in the backseat
• Allow them to throw anything inside our vehicle (and I'll impose a strict punishment if they do)

The next time I shop for a car, I'll look for one with anti- distraction features...