Did you know that driving while texting is six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated? Texting and driving is extremely dangerous. As a teenager I can say that this is the most dangerous activity that my peers are engaged in.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 11 teenagers in the United States die every day due to texting and driving. More than 4,000 die each year from texting and driving-related car accidents. Every year 21 percent of fatal car crashes involving teenagers are the result of cell phone usage.

Texting and driving can result in fines and or jail. Although not all states have laws prohibiting texting and driving, Maine does. The fine for a first offense in Maine is $250. Some states with stricter laws can hand out fines of $1,000.

CBS news reported that three quarters of drivers admitted to texting and driving, despite laws in some states. Forty percent of teens say that they have been in a car with someone who was texting and driving. We, as teenagers, need to speak up. If you see your friends texting and driving let them know that it can wait. Your lives are more valuable than a text.

Texting and driving is extremely dangerous. No one should be placing themselves and others at unnecessary risk. If you see someone you know texting and driving, let them know how reckless their actions are. Be smart, don’t text and drive.

Brianna Brunelle, Lisbon Falls