In “Distraction = Destruction,” Anna Griffin shows the consequences of being distracted while driving, more specifically through texting. She gives many examples and depicts many scenarios of fatalities suffered as a result of texting and driving. One statistic that really caught my attention was the fact that in 2010, over three thousand people died and over four hundred thousand people were injured in car accidents because of being distracted. That is a LARGE number, and throughout the article, I learned how severe texting and driving could really be.

I am thirteen years old. I don’t know how to drive yet. But albeit that circumstance, I understand how attentive you have to be on the road. Texting while driving is ridiculously risky because it takes your mind off the situation. According to the Center for Disease Control, three types of distraction are visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distraction is when your eyes are off the road. Manual distraction is taking your hand off the wheel. Cognitive distraction is throwing your mind off the job. Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it encourages ALL three types of distraction.

One line that obliged me was, “Is a quick ‘be there in 5 min’ worth your life?” This compelled me because it shows how something as easy as a five-worded text, while driving, can put your life at risk. In summary, “Distraction = Destruction” portrays the severities that can occur when one texts and drives. It encourages the fact that while driving, you must have a good attentiveness while on the road and avoid the distractions. I think the main message of this article is to PUT DOWN THE PHONE.