Teens Shown Consequences Of Distracted Driving

Michael Greenspan delivered a powerful message about distracted driving to Clarkstown South High School seniors and juniors on Monday. Greenspan told them it only takes a few seconds when a driver’s eyes are off the road to lose control and change lives forever. He told the causes of distracted driving – texting, talking on a cell phone, changing a radio station or CD, eating, drinking, applying makeup – are not exclusive to teen and young adult drivers but all drivers. 

 “The whole point of this is it’s not just a teen problem it’s a problem for everyone,” the New City resident said. 

During his 40-minute presentation to the 800 students, Greenspan played short videos of three types of distracted driving: manual, visual and cognitive.  One video showed a bus driver taking his hands off the wheel to fill out paperwork. Another depicted a driver whose eyes were not on the road and one who was not thinking about driving. 

One video, “The Last Text,” was a girl who was reading a text sent by her sister when she lost control of her car and died in the crash. Another showed a young driver who looked away from the road to check her GPS and killed a pedestrian. Her words were, “Distracted driving is a choice and it’s a selfish one to make.”

Greenspan, a trial lawyer, said he was not immune to distracted driving in the past and often thought of it as multi-tasking if he was talking to a client or dictating into a tape recorder as he drove.

“We can do something about it,” he said. “We’re role models. When you adopt a behavior that’s safe you make a difference. Being a role model can have some real consequences.”

He noted the wrong thing parents can be is a hypocrite and urged the students to speak up and take action whether they are with parents, other adults or their friends.

Teacher Doug Pritts and student Tyler Mager volunteered to role-play a father arguing on the phone as he drove with his son in the car.  Mager told him to stop talking and then grabbed the phone out of Pritts’ hand.

According to statistics distracted driving kills about 4,000 people each year and injures 500,000 individuals annually.

Junior Samantha Rokicsak has her learner’s permit and said the presentation reinforced a lot of what she has been taught.

“I’ve seen a lot of people talking on their phone, texting and I will make sure that they don’t do that when I’m in the car or when they’re just along because it can affect everyone on the road,” she explained. 

“You can drive without texting,” Greenspan said. “You can drive without taking or receiving a phone call. You can wait until you’re finished driving to eat.”

Greenspan is a member of he New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA), which is involved with the national End Distracted Driving campaign. The NYSTLA, which offers the presentations, is working on scheduling others at Rockland County high schools.