Longview, Texas, Texting and Driving and Drinking and Driving are Both Bad

I ran across a topic on the All Things Longview Facebook group and it really sickened me. People were actually trying to make a case on which was worse, texting and driving or drinking and driving. Really? Neither are any good while driving and both are actually illegal. How can you make a positive case for either one?

Get our free mobile app

A Longview resident made a simple observance about the New Year Weekend in the All Things Longview Facebook group.

The responses below the post are what made me really question some folks in Longview. It doesn't matter which caused the most crashes or the most fatalities, the fact of the matter is that BOTH drinking and driving AND texting while driving are too dangerous behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. PERIOD.

During my time off before Christmas, I was driving on Loop 323 in Tyler. A driver moved into the middle lane in front of me. From Highway 31 West all the way to Spur 364, probably, what, four miles, I could see that driver holding his phone up and texting. All the while, he would drift close to the lines and have to brake when he didn't need to all because he was on his phone the entire time he was driving in front of me.

Actions like that are unacceptable. Put your phone down and wait until you are not driving to even mess with it. Absolutely ridiculous to show such disregard for others on the road around you.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 28 people die in drunk driving related crashes every day or one every 52 minutes. In 2019, 3,142 people were killed due to a distracted driver. In other words, BOTH drunk driving AND texting while driving are dangerous.

Put your phone away when you are behind the wheel. If you go out for the purpose of drinking in public, take a cab an Uber or a Lyft or have a designated driver. We have to say this over and over and yet we see it constantly on the news of someone being killed by someone doing either of these.

DON'T TEXT AND DRIVE.

DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE.

PERIOD.