It Can Wait

Although God desires everyone to have a long life (Psalm 91:16), we still reside in a fallen world where some people die because of another individual’s negligence. This past Wednesday, a tragedy occurred in Texas that should remind us all of the dangers of distracted driving. The 20-year-old driver of a pickup truck crashed into a church minibus near the town of Concan. 13 of the 14 passengers on the bus died from the accident. The pickup driver survived but is hospitalized.

A witness told the Associated Press he had followed the pickup driver for several miles as it moved erratically and repeatedly crossed the center line of a two-lane highway. Jody Kuchler made calls to the sheriffs of two counties urging them “to get him off the road before he hit somebody.” Kuchler ended up witnessing the collision. After checking on the bus occupants, he spoke with the pickup driver who told him, “I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was texting.”

Many of us have gotten in the habit of immediately checking our phones whenever we receive a new message. Time magazine reported that 98% of habitual texters said texting while driving is dangerous yet 75% of them admit to doing that. This is despite most states now assessing fines for violators that are caught. When will these distracted drivers realize it only takes a couple of seconds for an accident to occur? They need to keep their eyes on the road!

The next time you’re behind the wheel and hear notifications on your smartphone, please wait until you arrive at your destination. If you feel a need to check your phone sooner, pull over somewhere or at least wait until you’re at a red light for a quick glance at your message. No email, text, or Facebook post is worth somebody else’s life.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” - Genesis 4:9 

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