College students have a lot on their plates these days.
From jobs and classwork to extra-curricular groups, there never seems to be enough time to get things done.
So it seems logical that students would view driving from place to place as a good time to catch up on their friends' lives.
Enter the use of cell phones in cars.
It is not altogether uncommon to talk on the phone while driving; whether it is safe or not, it has become the norm.
However, with the increasing popularity of text messaging, a new level of unsafe behaviors has been added to the mix.
On Jan. 4, Ball State University student Sarah Woodruff died in a car crash. Road conditions were a factor in the crash, but it is also known that she was text messaging shortly before the accident.
While we can't know whether texting affected this unfortunate accident, we can use this as a reminder of how dangerous that behavior can be while we're on the road.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, six states and the District of Columbia have banned text messaging while driving. Indiana is not among those, but that does not mean drivers should disregard the trend.
In comparison with texting, talking on the phone does not seem too bad; however, students should always take road conditions into account while trying to drive. This season has already been icier than winters past, causing car accidents all over the state.
It is easy to glance down at a text message from a friend while driving and think it would be OK to send a quick reply.
But it's even easier to lose control of a car when road conditions are bad. Adding the distraction of text messages results too often in a fatal combination.
No matter how many road trips you've been on, only years of experience can contribute to a person's ability to drive.
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